Learning to Cope
by dragondustbubblez
Summary: The curse is over and Kyou and Tohru are closer than ever. But what happens when Kyou starts wanting something that Tohru might not be ready for? After one night, will they be able to face the consequences of not being carefull? Warning: Sensuality! XD
1. Freedom, A Broken Curse

Learning to Cope

Summary: The curse has just ended and the relationship between Kyou and Tohru is blossoming every day. Things seem to be going great until Kyou starts showing some strange behavior. He soon realizes how mature he's beginning to become and also realizes his so called mature "desire". Will things ever be the same between these two after one night of being a little too "close" with one another? KyouxTohru fic. Warning: Moderate sensuality in later chapters. XD AND BIG SPOILERS SO DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T LIKE!!!! XD Enjoy! Don't forget to review:)

Chapter One – Freedom, A Broken Curse

_"__I've never felt this way before. It's almost too much emotion that I can't handle. I no longer have to worry, to cry, and to be brought down by the very existence of myself. Finally, I am my own self, whether or not I miss my empty shell. The part of me that could never be . . . _

_"Why do we keep going on in this world when we know there was no hope to begin with? Well, we were wrong. There was a small, yet possible ray of light that shined on our kind and sent our demons to their graves. Away from hate, away from us, away from that sadness, and away from it all. And yet, I still cling on to that sweet sorrow that I feel now, knowing that I am allowed something I wasn't before. I can hold her close to me . . . . . . ." _

Kyou smiled to himself and closed his eyes, taking in every moment. He was her's and she was his. That sweet, innocent girl he fell in love with almost two years ago.

Tohru was wrapped around him tightly, with her face burrowed in his bosom. Kyou took in her every movement, her every scent, everything. He knew that he could do this again and again, now that the curse was gone, but this moment was special. He wanted this feeling to go on forever.

He sighed and rested his head onto her's as he recalled the memories they had shared. The good and the bad. The day they had first met was the start of it all. Back then, he didn't even care. How odd was it that this girl, who used to get on his every nerve with her kindness, would save him one day?

Kyou couldn't hold back his tears and let them fall down his flushed face. He continued through the memories. The day she said she liked him, the day she accepted his other form, the days she cried, laughed, and smiled with him. Even the horrible truths he had shown her, he knew it was worth it.

It was all coming together; slowly but surely. But Kyou knew that moments like this didn't last forever, so, unwillingly, he let go of Tohru. She gazed into his eyes and he did so into her's. Both couldn't help but to close in on each other and lock their lips together into one seemingly eternal kiss.

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Sorry that it's so short. Don't worry, the chapters will get MUCH longer!!! I know I said that I'd do some of my other stories first but I couldn't wait to put this one up! 


	2. Celebration

Chapter 2 – Celebration

It was probably the biggest uproar they would ever have. All the Sohmas, including Akito, were going over to Shigure's for a get together to celebrate the ending of the curse. The time for it to start was drawing near and Tohru was busier than ever.

She ran around the house for hours, either with items in her hand or her agenda for the day. "Slow down!" said Shigure. "The more you rush, the more tired you'll be for the party!"

"But I need to get more goody-bags!" said Tohru, highly distressed. "I'm missing two of them and I need to go to the store to get them! Also, I need more drinks and rice for the big dinner AND-" "Would you just calm down for a minute?" sighed Kyou, putting his hand over her mouth. "Look, worrying about this the way you do is only going to result in giving you a fever. Just relax, we'll handle the rest. Just tell us what to do."

Tohru gazed into his face, daring to protest, but she could already see that this was a lost battle. "Okay," she said hesitantly. She gave them her list and gave directions. Hating it every moment, she sat idly in an armchair nearby.

"There, doesn't that feel better?" asked Yuki, sweetly. "Yes," Tohru lied.

For the remainder of the evening, the three Sohmas worked on the decorations and party favors, while Tohru just sat close by and watched them. Every now and then, she would try to sneak off and do a chore, but either Yuki or Kyou caught her and forced her to sit down. She hated it, but she knew it would please them.

In a couple of hours, the whole house had transformed before their very eyes. Everything was decorated well from head to toe and not a thing was out of place. Yuki, who wasn't very gifted at decorating, was rather please with himself. The entire area looked inviting and warm. Pretty soon, the doorbell rang a couple times. Shigure came up to the door in his best suit (which was the only formal one he had).

"Ah, good evening!" he said cheerfully. "Come in, come in! Oh Kisa, what a lovely dress!" Kisa blushed and smiled. Hiro immediately came by her side and gave the dog a nasty "don't-you-think-about-it" look.

Soon enough, everyone else started showing up. Haru came in his white long sleeve shirt with black slacks. He had even brought Rin along, who was wearing a velvety black dress that showed off her long and slender back. Obviously, Haru was sub-consciously enjoying the sight, though he was quick to not show it.

Hatori came in a gray suit that had a handkerchief coming out of his chest-pocket. Ayame came in a vibrant purple trench coat that had spotted-leopard fur around the neck piece. Ritsu, who gathered up his courage, was brave enough to dress in a black suit with a white tie. Momiji arrived in his little yellow German outfit with a cap that obtained bouncy bunny ears. Kagura came in an expressive, unique, green dress that went down to her ankles.

Yuki and Kyou were dressed in their best formal suits. Yuki didn't mind but Kyou wasn't too fond of the formal look. His collar was itchy and his black shoes were very clunky. But as long as it made Tohru happy, he'd do it.

Suddenly, the whole room went quiet and everyone looked to the front door. Kureno came through. He was holding someone's hand but no one could see who the person was because the body was hiding behind the door. "It's alright," pleaded Kureno to the mysterious being. "Don't be shy. You have friends here."

With her face glowing red, Akito walked in. She had on a beautiful geisha's kimono with white sandals. Her hair was soft and glossy with butterfly clips that were holding her hair up in place. She had bright red lipstick on and eye shadow that complemented her eyes.

Everyone stared in awe, surprised by how pretty she looked without looking like a male. Akito took the staring completely in the wrong way.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered. Her legs gave way under her and she fell to her knees. She hid her wet, flushed face in her hands and sobbed quietly. Yuki, feeling great sympathy for her, walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Akito," he said quietly. "It's all over. You don't have to be upset. We're not mad at you for the past. We all had our troubles and you had to deal with the most. It's true, a lot of us were hurt, but now we can all be a family again. Thanks to Tohru, our lives are much simpler and we can start over again."

Akito looked up at him with teary eyes. She attempted to grin and nodded in agreement. Yuki helped her back up while she wiped her face. Suddenly, everyone came over to her to cheer her up. Akito couldn't help but to smile when everyone talked to her with flattery and sweet words. Shigure came over to her and embraced her in one long hug. "You know I love you," he whispered in her ear. Akito blushed.

Once the party continued, Tohru managed to sneak into the kitchen to see how things were going. Neither Kyou nor Yuki saw her slide away. _"Good,"_ she thought. She had it all planned. Kyou had already started some of the dinner but with all the commotion in the living room, there would be no way for him to finish. Tohru wanted him to have a good time and to relax so she took matters into her own hands. Not that she minded though. She just hummed softly to herself as she took out some hidden food that she had prepared while Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure were out shopping and began to warm it up. As a result, she made a rather fine pot roast with all kinds of side dishes that made you salivate to their smells.

Shigure was the first to smell the delightful odor that came from the kitchen. He sat down at the table, (as he usually did when he smelled food) and every one else followed his example. Yuki and Kyou didn't know what was going on but, not wanting to confuse everyone, did the same.

Tohru came in with all she could carry. Kyou's eyes bugged out in surprise. "Oh Tohru! You shouldn't have!" cried Shigure sarcastically, not looking the least bit guilty. "DAMMIT! Why didn't you tell us she was cooking?!?" yelled Kyou, steam blowing from his ears in anger. "I was hungry," replied Shigure, sheepishly.

Yuki shook his head in disgust. "Shigure, as the adult in this house, you should know better. This party was mainly thrown for Ms. Honda and her working for it is not part of the plan. We want her to relax, not cook!"

"Oh, but please!" pleaded Tohru. "I'm sorry if you're angry but please don't take it out on Shigure. I wanted to cook for everyone! Really, it was fun! I'm not the least bit tired!" Yuki sighed but smiled. He knew her greatest joy was cooking, though, he wasn't happy at the fact that Shigure had won this round. "Dig in!" Tohru said to everyone and they all grabbed what ever was in reach.

Dinner was finished within an hour, but everyone stayed at the table to tell stories. Ayame, who told most of them, was going on about how he got to keep his long hair at school. While the younger kids and Ritsu were intrigued by this tall tale, Yuki and Hatori sighed. They've heard this before, in fact, TOO MANY TIMES.

Kyou came behind Tohru and whispered in her ear. "Come on," he said softly, so that no one would hear, "let's go on the roof for a bit." Tohru snuck out of her seat while the others were listening to Ayame's story and snuck out the house with Kyou. What they didn't realize was that Momiji had seen them leave. He was brimming with curiosity and planned to follow them after Ayame's story. But until then, no one heard the soft footsteps climb up the side ladder of the house.

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Hope you are enjoying the story so far! Tell me if I need to improve on anything, kay? - dragondustbubblez 


	3. On The Rooftop

Chapter 3 – On the Rooftop

Tohru climbed carefully onto the ladder on the side of the house. She had fallen one summer and was lucky to not be injured, so she was especially careful this time around. Kyou was already waiting for her at the top. Tohru sat next to him, closer than usual.

"Nice night, huh?" asked Kyou, trying to make small talk. Tohru smiled. "Yes, it's beautiful! So calm and breezy . . ." Tohru shivered a little. "Cold?" asked Kyou. "No, not really," she replied. She wasn't shivering from the night air.

Tohru realized that she had never sat this close to Kyou before. She felt a little nervous but was still content. "What are you thinkin' about?" asked Kyou, trying to read her mind. "Well," she started shyly, "it's just that, I've . . . I've never been so close to . . . to y-you before. Now that I realize that . . . that this is real. I feel something different now and I don't know how to explain it. Am I in l-love? I can't tell, but I know this is REAL . . ."

Kyou stared at her, his eyes liquid in the darkness. Tohru blushed, noticing that she had been babbling. Kyou chuckled a bit and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him.

"I love you too," he said to her, enclosing her in a tight hug. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his back. As Kyou held her closer to him, his heart rate sped up. He could feel the heat hit his cheeks so quickly that he could have mistaken it for a slap. She was right up against him, everywhere. He felt her on his whole body.

Kyou felt something stir inside his stomach. They had been together ever since the end of the curse and they've been like this for at least a couple months. But something was different in his heart and he could sense it. What was this feeling that seeped down his chest and into his stomach? The sensations just kept flowing lower and lower . . . Kyou held Tohru closer.

As Tohru became more bashful, Kyou got braver. He locked his lips with hers for a moment, waiting for her reaction. She caught her breath and reached for more. _"She's responding well," _Kyou thought to himself.

Kyou unconsciously lowered his hands and Tohru did the same. Her hands stayed on his lower back while Kyou's slid down her waist and eventually stopped at her hips. From there, he brought his hands around and held her by the rear.

Tohru flinched in surprise and Kyou let go, thinking that he had offended her. He became scared for a moment as she continued to be silent. She slowly slid back into his arms and rested her head on his chest.

"Sorry," said Kyou, regretfully. Too afraid to look in her eyes, he gazed up at the sky. "For what?" Tohru asked. "Well, you pulled back and I thought-" "Oh! No, that's alright. It just startled me, that's all." Kyou sighed with relief.

Tohru smiled at him and reached for his mouth. They continued kissing but Kyou was more careful about where he put his hands.

Both began to get a little breathless from the smooching and lied down next to each other. Tohru clutched onto him and he held her in place. With his breathing being so deep, Tohru thought he was asleep. A soft murmur developed from his chest and up to his throat. It vibrated against Tohru's head.

"Kyou, a-are you purring?" she asked, holding in a giggle. Kyou blushed brightly. _"I shouldn't be,"_ he thought. He wasn't a cat anymore. Maybe he kept some of his qualities from being one. "No, I'm not," said Kyou, not being very convincing.

Tohru laughed cheerfully. "Alright, I admit it. I did kay? I guess I still have some of my "curse" qualities." "It's okay," said Tohru, smiling sweetly. "I like the purring. It's so . . . warm."

Kyou smiled, a little embarrassed but happy, and got even closer to Tohru's body. Her face flushed with confusion as she felt parts of him that she had never felt before.

Kyou was getting intimate. He didn't even seem to know what he was doing. He brushed his lips on her neck as she gasped slightly. What was he doing? This feeling was new. It wasn't liking someone, it was something much stronger. She couldn't contain it and wanted it to go on, the weird sensations she got wherever Kyou touched her. But somehow, she felt as if she should stop . . .

"Nm, Kyou?" she tried to ask him past one of his kisses. Unfortunately, he wouldn't seem to stop so she was unsuccessful. "Kyou? Whatn' you . . .? Nm, what er you dow . . .?" He began to press his torso towards hers. Tohru also noticed that Kyou had a pained look in his eyes. His crotch was being pressed against her as well. _"What is he doing?" _she thought, feeling something strange on her abdomen.

Suddenly, Momiji popped up out of nowhere, making Kyou spring up from where he was. He almost fell off the roof.

"Hehe, watcha guys doin'?" asked Momiji, the smirk plain on his face. Tohru was as red as a cherry; Kyou was even redder. "Oh, nothing!" reassured Tohru, straitening herself up. "YOU CAN'T JUST SNEAK UP ON PEOPLE LIKE THAT YA DAMN RODENT!" yelled Kyou. "I'm not a rodent, I'm a rabbit silly!" teased Momiji. "I'm telling EVERYONE what I saw! Tohru and Kyou sitting in a tree, K – I – SS – I – N – G!!!" "SHUT UP!!!"

Momiji jumped down and ran into the house, laughing. Tohru and Kyou ran after him. "Hey guess what everyone!" started Momiji. "I saw Tohru and Kyou making out! Ha ha ha ha!" Kyou saw the laughing faces of everyone and he lowered his head in shame. "Whoa, Kyou!" teased Haru, blankly. "I didn't know you were a stud." Kyou drooped his head even lower.

"Oh come now," started Shigure, clearly playing along. "Give the man some room. Can't you see how bashful he is? He is together with Tohru now after all! Sigh, I wonder what the children will look like."

Kyou couldn't take it anymore. He passed by everyone and marched up the stairs. "Oh come on Kyou!" pleaded Shigure. "I was only kidding!" The only reply anyone heard was the slamming of a door upstairs. Shigure flinched at the sound. "Geez, I was only having a bit of fun. Well, that shows that Kyou is as sensitive as ever!" "Ha-ha, I agree!" joined Ayame.

The party continued on with the new gossip about Kyou's behavior. Yuki pushed his way through the crowd to find Tohru. He took her by the hand and they went outside.

"Are you alright Ms. Honda?" he asked, concerned. "Shigure didn't hurt you did he?" "Oh no, it's alright," she said quietly. "I know he's only kidding." "But you look upset." "I-I guess I just have a lot on my mind right now." "Did something happen between you and Kyou?"

"Not really. Sort of. I'm just really confused." Do you want to talk about it?" "No. It's . . . it's private." "What did he do? He didn't hurt you did he?" "No, he was wonderful, it's just . . ." "What?" "He's so distant tonight. You know, after Momiji found us. He wouldn't even look at me. I think he's mad at me." "I don't think he is. He's just embarrassed from what Shigure said." "I think I'll go talk to him." "Do you want me to go with you?" "No thank you, I think I'll be fine on my own." "Well, if you ever need help, I'll be here." "Thank you Yuki. You really are a great friend."

Yuki gave her a hug and let her go back inside. Before he went back in, he sat outside and pondered about what Tohru had said. He hated to be so nosy with her but he could tell something was wrong. Private? What exactly were they doing on the roof? Yuki wasn't one to assume but he couldn't help but to be suspicious. He'd definitely keep a close eye on these two. He could tell that there was something that Tohru wasn't telling him.

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Sorry! Another short chapter! Things will get longer, I promise:) 


	4. Temptation

**Author's Note**:There's a bit of a lemon in this chapter. I tried to make it non-expilcit, but I might have gotten carried away. Just a friendly warning:)

Chapter 4 – Temptation

"Crap. Crap! CRAP!!" Kyou hid his face in his hands, gritting his teeth in anger. He couldn't remember a time when he was this upset with himself. Why did he do that? One moment he was careful, another he was reckless. What was happening to him? Kyou just couldn't get Tohru out of his head and every time he thought of her, he blushed. His hands were sweaty with perspiration and his heart thumped violently. He hadn't acted like this before. What was wrong with him?!?!?

Suddenly, in the middle of his thoughts, a knock on the door interrupted his silent panic. "Kyou?" murmured a familiar voice. Kyou grew hesitant at first, but he figured he better talk to her.

While he walked to the door, he almost shivered, imagining her face's expression. Was she angry? Scared? Crying?

_"Oh hell, not crying," _he thought. _"I can handle anger but crying is too much for me." _Kyou probably wouldn't have much luck there either. Tohru rarely ever got angry so the probability of crying was much higher.

Tohru stood still as the door opened, preparing herself for yelling. She closed her eyes and tried to absorb any oncoming tears that might try to seep out later. She knew that if she cried, it would only make him angrier.

The door remained open and silence dragged on. Tohru opened her eyes, preparing for the angry face before her. But instead of seeing the expression she expected, Kyou looked solemn and tired, maybe even a little depressed and lethargic. He wouldn't look her in the eyes.

"H-Hey," he stuttered, looking up at her briefly but then quickly looking back at the ground. "Can I, um, come in?" asked Tohru, shyly. "I wanted to talk to you in private. I'm sorry I'm barging in like this. I'll go if you're busy."

"Oh, no! It's okay!" claimed Kyou, louder than he would have liked. He was just glad that she wasn't crying or angry, but he still remained wary. "C-Come on in."

Tohru walked in and closed the door behind her. Suddenly, she got an urge to open the door. Staying in a closed room with Kyou had never been this awkward before. His nervous habits, such as fidgeting and playing with his hair, made her uneasy. Why was he acting so strange? Yet, somewhere deep inside, she wanted to see why he was nervous. She wanted to keep the door shut . . .

Kyou tried not to look at Tohru; which was hard because she was staring at him. He didn't dare to take a peak. He feared he might see a wet, flushed face, and red eyes. She didn't sound like she was crying though. Maybe he'd take a look. Kyou glanced up. She looked like a zombie in deep thought. Kyou didn't know what she was staring at but she didn't look all the way there.

"What?" Kyou asked rudely, snapping her out of her phase. "Oh! Sorry," she said, looking away. "I was just, um . . . thinking about something." Kyou wanted to kick himself. He didn't mean to sound so harsh.

"No, I'm sorry," he said slowly. "I, uh, I shouldn't have yelled. Sorry. If you, uh, wanted . . . to say something, then you can. I'll listen."

Tohru gulped. She had so much to say, yet she couldn't describe how she felt. "I-," she began, losing her words. "I – I uh, um . . ." She started to blush in embarrassment. "I wanted to know . . . what happened on the roof tonight. What were you doing? I'm sorry if this is too personal but it's been bothering me."

Kyou was at a loss for words. How could he tell her? Oh, I was rubbing myself on you? NO! He couldn't say that! But to tell the truth, he didn't really know what happened either. All he could remember was that he had a strange feeling all over him. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he enjoyed it.

"No, it's okay," he replied. "I knew you would ask some time. Truth is, I-I don't really know either. But, I think that I shouldn't have done that and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I promise that I'll never do that again."

As Kyou said this, he hid his face in his hands. Hopefully, he wasn't too red in the cheeks.

"Oh, um, okay," said Tohru, more confused than anything else. Still, she couldn't help but to feel a little disappointed. Whatever happened on the roof, she had to do that again. She wanted to know what it was. What that feeling meant. It was all so new to her.

"I'm sorry if I made it worse," she apologized. "I-I shouldn't have pulled away when you kissed me. It must have made you upset. I don't really know much about what to do in a relationship so let me know if I'm doing anything wrong."

"Oh, don't worry!" started Kyou. "It's not you at all. It's me and I . . . I just don't know what to think anymore." Tohru didn't understand but she figured she wouldn't get a better answer than that. She could tell that Kyou was just as confused as she was.

"O-Okay then," Tohru started, heading for the door. "Sorry to intrude. I'll go now. G-Good night." "Night," said Kyou, still looking to the ground. After a split second, the door closed shut. _"Geez, what do I do?" _thought Kyou, massaging his sore forehead. _"I've got nothing to say to her. I don't know what's wrong with me."_

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Kyou sighed and decided to let it pass. They'd probably forget about it by morning. Kyou undressed himself and got ready for bed. As he looked in the mirror in the bathroom, he noticed how red his eyes were. Had he been crying? _"No," _he thought. _"I'm just tired. It's been a long day."_

While Kyou lay in his bed, he couldn't help but to keep his eyes open. _"I can't sleep."_ Maybe if he forced his eyes to stay closed, he'd fall into slumber . . .

Kyou awoke with a start and looked around his room, which was pitch black. That was strange because he had left his light on before he had fallen asleep. In the darkness he heard Tohru's voice. "Kyou," she called. "Kyou, are you ready?"

Kyou didn't know how to answer. Ready for WHAT? The light turned on and startled him. He looked over to the light switch to find Tohru there. Except, this wasn't the Tohru he expected.

She was dressed in fancy underwear and a see-through slip over her body. It was all orange and pink with black lace on the bra and panties. "What the hell are you wearing?" asked Kyou, while his eyes seemed to bug out of their sockets. "Can't you tell?" asked Tohru, shyly. As she slowly walked over to him, Kyou began to blush as he looked her up and down. He felt nervous and shook everywhere. Tohru found her way on top of him. Kyou desperately wanted to move but his body wouldn't budge. He was too shocked to even stutter.

Tohru smiled at him innocently and kissed his lips passionately. Kyou, who had drowned in the kiss, did not object. Tohru slid her hands from his face, down his chest, and stopping at his pants' zipper. Kyou tried to sit up to stop her, but she kept him hypnotized with another kiss. As he fell into it helplessly, she pulled away his pants slowly and brought her hands up to his abdomen and right above his member. She used the tips of her fingers to tickle Kyou under his navel button.

Kyou's eyes opened wide with shock and he began to sweat. He gasped at the sensation and groaned. Tears swelled up in his eyes. This was so wrong. "Tohru, please stop," he tried to say, but none of the words came out. "Please! I don't want to hurt you! If I get too carried away, I'll . . ."

Tohru reached for his boxers and began to pull them down. "NO! STOP!" Kyou yelled once again. Tohru didn't seem to hear him. She continued to pull them down as if he didn't say anything. Kyou tried to move but his arms were pinned to the bed. He yelled in terror, trying to fight the urge to relax and let go.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Kyou sat up in his bed, panting and perspiring. He looked around his room, which was still dark, but the light by his bed was on. Tohru was nowhere in sight.

"Oh," sighed Kyou, laying back down in relief. "It was just a dream." Thank goodness. Tohru would never try something like that. Kyou turned around to lie on his stomach. He winced in pain and sat back up. He felt like he was laying on something, and it hurt when he did. Kyou blushed as he thought of what it was. He looked under his covers to find his "lower" region had risen during the night.

Kyou blushed even brighter and turned to his side, putting a stray pillow over his lap. Now that he had seen that, he definitely knew what kind of dream he had. Trying not to think about it, Kyou closed his eyes, hoping that it would prevent him from having another embarrassing body function. But as he lay in his bed, he felt guiltier than he had ever been before.


	5. Kyou's Little Project

**Lol, this chapter is LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!!! Enjoy. **

Chapter 5 – Kyou's Little "Project"

"What's wrong Kyou?" asked Tohru. "You haven't said anything all day." Uo and Hana glanced at his non-responsive face.

"Yeah, orange top," said Uo, "you look awful. I've never seen you like this. What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Tohru kept in a muffled laugh. If only they knew how ironic that saying was to someone like Kyou. He looked up at his three classmates and sighed to himself. School was almost over for the day and he still hadn't pulled his act together. Tohru was on his mind twenty-four seven.

Hana stared at him in thought. "I sense a strong feeling of embarrassment and fear coming from you," she said. Kyou gulped slightly, wondering if she had figured him out. She probably could too; with that weird ability of hers. Uo just chuckled.

"Embarrassment and fear?" she asked jokingly. "What for? Did he, like, pass gas or something?" Hana shook her head and shrugged.

"I didn't hear or smell anything, so I'm assuming he didn't." Either way, Hana kept her steady gaze on the orange-haired boy before her, thinking more deeply than before. Something was up with him, and it wasn't ordinary.

Kyou began to perspire under her intimidating stare. If anyone was to figure out about last night's dream, she'd be the first. He'd just have to improvise and pretend.

"Embarrassment? Fear?" he asked, trying his best to look confused and oblivious. "I'm neither of those. I'm just tired, so go away." Kyou put on the best annoyed look he could behind his shame. Hana didn't back down.

"You can't fool me," she said, hovering over Kyou like a dark cloud. "You ARE regretting something. I just hope that whatever it is, it won't harm Tohru."

Kyou shivered as he saw the electric sparks fly around her head. How could she read his mind like that? Well, not that he would hurt Tohru, but what he wanted possibly could . . . damn, she caught him.

"Oh no," said Tohru. "Kyou wouldn't hurt me! He's very nice to me!" Well, she thought so. Of course, she didn't include the time where he had changed into his "other" form and scratched her chest. But that was during difficult times, and it wasn't needed to be mentioned again.

"I know," said Hana, grinning. "I'm just teasing him."

"_Hard to tell_," thought Kyou. He looked out the window of his classroom and tried to shun out any unwanted thoughts. But just as he heard a disgustingly familiar voice mock him, his mood only took a turn for the worse.

"Interesting. The city's loud mouth is unusually quiet today," said Yuki, who was walking toward Tohru and her friends. Kyou growled a bit inside, his eyes narrowing as he saw the shadow of his enemy. Damn rat . . .

"We don't know why he's quiet," started Uo. "He said he was tired, but he's been like this all day. Doesn't want to be bothered, I guess. He hasn't even snapped, like usual."

Kyou felt the stares of everyone on his back. Fighting the urge to look at their faces, he wished for a diversion, so he could escape from this prison full of people who stuffed their noses into other people's business. He got his diversion sooner than he thought.

The bell rang and everyone began to pack their bags. Kyou, who was thankful for the interruption, packed up quickly and walked out the door. He was sure to avoid anyone he knew on his way home.

"Oh! You're home rather early," said Shigure, watching Kyou come through the front door. "Where are Yuki and Tohru? I thought they'd be coming with you."

"Uh, they'll be here soon," said Kyou, rushing his voice unconsciously. He ran up the stairs and went inside his bedroom, locking his door. Shigure sat in confusion. Since when did Kyou lock his door?

Kyou sighed and laid his belongings on his bed. He was safe for now, until Tohru came home. At least he was away from Hana. Sooner or later, he'd have to find a way to keep his mind off of his dream. What could he do to make himself feel better? He needed way to make it up to Tohru and to keep himself from doing something rash when he looked into her liquid eyes. He needed to keep himself busy enough to take his mind off of her. He needed something to relieve his pressure. He needed a hobby . . .

"We're home," called Yuki, putting his school bag on the dining room table. Shigure looked out of his office to see him.

"Oh, welcome home!" he greeted cheerfully. "Did something happen to Kyou? He didn't walk with you guys."

"I don't know. He just left without us. I don't think I said anything that would dramatically upset him. He just, well . . . left."

"It looked like he was in a big hurry," said Tohru, the worry plain on her face. "I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. I hope I didn't upset him when we were talking. In fact, ever since the Zodiac party, he hasn't been talking to me."

"Come to think of it," started Yuki, interrupting, "Kyou hasn't been talking to anyone. He doesn't even yell at me anymore. He's just lying around and acting all depressed and worried. I've never seen him fidget so much, either. And when Tohru tries to get his attention, he acts all embarrassed and avoids her, and he's been so quiet that I forget that he's even there."

"Strange," said Shigure, caressing his chin in mocking-thought. Then, suddenly, his eyebrows rose up in realization as he got an epiphany.

"Tohru?" he asked her nicely, "Be a dear and leave Yuki and I alone for a moment. I need to say a few things to him in private." Tohru, who was puzzled, left anyway and waited in the living room. Whatever they were going to say, she had a feeling that it wasn't for her ears.

"Yuki," started Shigure, once Tohru was out of earshot, "did Kyou say anything to you?"

"No," replied Yuki. "He never does anyway. But I remember that Ms. Honda mentioned something at the night of the celebration."

"What's that?"

"Well, she . . . she was saying that Kyou wasn't speaking to her. She thinks that he's mad at her."

"Why would he be?"

"I-I don't know. It's probably something stupid though. I don't think there's any reason for him to be mad at her."

"Maybe you should go ask her a couple of questions."  
Yuki looked down. "Well," he said modestly, "I don't want to invade her privacy. It's between Kyou and her. And, knowing that they're a couple now, I shouldn't pry. Besides, how bad can a mood swing from Kyou be? It'll come and go, as always. He probably just embarrassed himself in front of her. He'll get over it."

Shigure chuckled slightly. "Yuki, don't underestimate a mood swing. I was a teenager once and I remember how I acted when certain things happened to me for the first time. I have a feeling that Kyou might have encountered something that might be confusing him."

Yuki hated to ask Tohru about this, but if Shigure was serious about it, it might be important. He cautiously made his way over to the living room. She wasn't in there, so he tried the one other place she'd most likely be. Yuki walked into the kitchen.

Tohru was beginning to cook dinner and noticed Yuki walk in. "Are you guys done talking yet?" she asked cheerfully, not being able to help to be curious. Yuki kept his distance from her, hoping that he wouldn't invade her personal space.

"Not exactly," he replied, sighing. He closed his eyes and prepared to ask Tohru his nosy question. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that she had come closer to him and gave him his full attention. She was such a good listener.

"Now, I'm not going to ask you this to make you uncomfortable, I just want the truth," Yuki said firmly. "Are you ready for it?"

Tohru nodded, still being unsure, but something told her that it was important. Yuki looked serious and that meant the matter was serious, or, at least she thought it was. Either way, she'd have to keep herself from getting emotional.

"Um," started Yuki, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly as he thought of words to say. "Can you tell me what happened the night of the Sohma party? You know . . . when you and Kyou were on the roof? You don't have to describe it, Ms. Honda, just summarize." Truthfully, he didn't want to hear about anyway. He'd rather just hold pleasant conversations with Tohru over tea and riceballs. Just him and her . . .

Tohru looked down at the floor, not meeting his eyes. This certainly was a touchy subject. At first, it wasn't a big deal because it was private. But now, it was too hard to mention for some reason.

"Well," she murmured shyly, "first of all, he asked me to come onto the roof with him. We just sat and talked about stuff."

Yuki cut in. "Did he do anything . . . strange?" Strange? He sounded like a psychologist. Hopefully, he'd get through this soon. Tohru was looking at him oddly.

"Well, not that I know of . . . well, there was something I didn't understand. But he didn't hurt me or anything. Why?"

"Just curious. Shigure and I just want to know if everything is okay between you two."

"Everything is fine."

"Okay. If you want to talk, then I'm here okay?"

Yuki turned around and got ready to walk out. Maybe everything was okay between them. Shigure probably set this up just to make things awkward between Tohru and him. Stupid dog . . .

But then suddenly, he heard Tohru call him back. Yuki turned back around to face her. Her face surprised him a little. Her head hung low and her cheeks were flushed with a bright red and her eyes were saddening. She even looked a little confused. But, thank goodness, she wasn't crying.

"Well, there is something that I don't know about very well. Just . . . just promise won't tell him I'm telling you this!" said Tohru, hiding her face even more. Why did she look so ashamed?

"Tell who, Ms. Honda?" wondered Yuki, lowering his head to gaze into her emotion filled eyes.

"K-Kyou!" she replied. She looked a little unsteady. Was she scared? She certainly looked like it.

"I promise," said Yuki, smiling. "I won't tell him anything. Why are you so upset?"

"I . . . I felt so weird; that time . . . on the roof. I-I . . . I can't even explain it. I didn't hate it. But, I feel like I should have. I feel like I did something wrong. But I didn't hate it . . . like I should have."

"What happened Ms. Honda?"

"Well, we were hugging and kissing a lot, and Kyou and I, well, he touched me a certain way. Not that it bothered me! It just surprised me. Oddly, I found myself doing the same thing to him. It felt . . . it felt . . ."

Tohru broke off and stared off into space. She didn't look upset. She looked zoned out. Yuki gently brushed her shoulder to get her attention. She blinked in shock.

"Oh, sorry," she began, blushing in embarrassment. "Yeah, we uh . . . we kissed and then he and I were lying down next to each other. He started to purr a little and I told him that I really like it. Then Kyou . . . (she blushed brighter) . . . Kyou uh, got closer to me and I ended up on my back. He was on top of me. He brought his . . . his mouth to my n-neck and started kissing it. The weird part is that he started to lean really firmly on me and he looked into eyes in a strange way, like he was in pain or something. He . . . I don't think he even blinked! It was so bizarre. I couldn't blink either . . ."

Tohru stopped and realized all the things she said. Hiding her face in her hands, feeling a sense of shame that she had never felt before, she looked to the floor guiltily. Her eyes began to water.

Yuki, who didn't see this, went on with the questions. He understood everything so far, but one part kept racking his brain.

"Ms. Honda," he began, trying to be sincere as he could. He could tell that Tohru was embarrassed enough already. "When you said he "leaned" on you, what did you mean?"

Tohru was almost too scared to look up at Yuki. Was he disappointed in her behavior? Was he mad at her for saying such things to him? Instead, she looked up to find him looking rather concerned.

"Um, well," stuttered Tohru, "I-I really shouldn't say . . ."

"It's alright Ms. Honda. You don't have to be afraid to tell me. Shigure and I just want to help." Yuki could see that Tohru was beginning to get uncomfortable.

"He . . . he uh," she began slowly, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill, "when he leaned, he . . . he was pushing . . . himself on my . . . my c-chest, my stomach, and . . . and my . . . my . . ."

Tohru turned away, feeling more humiliated and self-conscious than ever. She shouldn't be telling Yuki this. Him of all people. He'd never look at her the same again. What would he think of her now? A, dare she say it, a slut? He had been so kind to listen to her and this is how she thanked him? Tohru couldn't hold in her guilty tears.

Yuki finally understood what she had been talking about. The slight blush on his cheeks was proof of that. He took a step closer to her to comfort her, but she just backed away.

"Ms. Honda," Yuki said softly. "It's alright. I won't hurt you; that's all I wanted to know from you. I'm sorry that I upset you; we just needed to know what happened. You know, for safety reasons. Please don't cry."

Tohru wiped her eyes but shook where she stood. Those questions were too personal. She knew Yuki wouldn't meddle into her personal life, but she couldn't help but to feel a bit violated. Her shivering became more evident. But, more than anything else, she feared that the Sohma's, Kyou included, would begin to resent her for what she had said.

"_My goodness,"_ thought Yuki, his eyes growing soft as he watched Tohru._ "She's shaking like a leaf. I must have really scared her." _He walked over to her, who seemed to shake more and more as he got closer to her. Yuki took her hands in his as she tried to shuffle away.

"Ms. Honda, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how private this is for you. I'm very sorry. I'd never hurt you. Now, I realize that I may have gone too far. I just want to help you, not make you cry. Do you forgive me?"

Tohru looked into Yuki's eyes and found that trustworthy look in his irises that she could never avoid. Maybe she was just overacting. This was the Yuki she knew would never ask her things like this to upset her. He really cared. Of course she'd forgive him. In fact, there wasn't anything to forgive.

She smiled at the sweet, sensitive boy before her. Yuki, who felt relieved, embraced her in a tight hug. He dismissed himself from her and walked back over to Shigure's study room, leaving Tohru to cook.

"So, how'd it go?" asked Shigure, looking up from his newspaper. Yuki sighed and sat in a nearby chair.

"I kind of scared her, but I think it went okay," he said. While an hour passed, Yuki explained to Shigure about what Tohru had said to him, using every detail she put in. Shigure chuckled softly.

"Just as I thought," he said, not looking the least bit surprised. "I think our little kitten here is starting to mature out into a tom-cat, if you get my meaning. I know about these things, Yuki, and I have to say, he's got it BAD. Hehe, I remember when I first got that feeling. You can't imagine how humiliated I felt! I avoided my girlfriend, hoping that she wouldn't find out about my desires for her. She thought I was silent because I was cheating, so she left me. Only a couple years after that, I found out she secretly wanted the same thing! Ha-ha, I was pretty shocked."

After talking a bit more on the subject, both Yuki and Shigure agreed to keep an eye on Kyou and Tohru, just for safety reasons after all. Shigure knew that Kyou wouldn't try anything, but he knew that when a hormonally struck teenage male was on the loose, anything could happen. Yuki just wanted to watch just because he never trusted him. Now that THIS was the issue, he hated him even more. The dirty mongrel . . .

Shigure, on the other hand, was delighted in the news of Kyou feeling this way. He insisted on writing an explicit book based on this chain of events, but Yuki stopped him just in time. As usual, Shigure whined about how HARMLESS it was, and Yuki ignored him.

Tohru announced that dinner was ready. While everyone else was setting up the table and preparing to eat, Shigure went up to Kyou's room and knocked on the door.

"Kyou, dinner's ready!" he called out. No answer. Shigure tried again but got the same result. The room remained silent.

_"Hmm, strange,"_ thought Shigure, scratching his chin. _"He hasn't come down since he came home." _Tohru looked up at Shigure when he came back down into the dinning room.

"Where's Kyou?" she asked. Shigure smiled, trying not to worry her.

"He won't be joining us this evening."

"Why not? Is he sick? He should be hungry! He hasn't even eaten any lunch! If he doesn't eat, he'll lose his strength! Oh dear!"

Tohru continued to babble on as Yuki looked towards the stairs in confusion. This was a bit odd. Usually, Kyou came down for meals every night. He never missed out; except when they had leeks.

"Don't worry Tohru," said Shigure. "I'm sure he's just tired. We'll save him some dinner if he gets hungry." Tohru calmed down and figured that that was the only thing they could do for now. They couldn't force him out.

After cleaning up from dinner, Tohru went upstairs to prepare for bed. She constantly fought the urge to walk into Kyou's bedroom and check on him. He probably didn't want to be bothered.

Shigure and Yuki stayed downstairs for a moment. After making sure that Tohru wasn't around to peak in and hear their conversation, they began to speak.

"I think I know why Kyou's staying in his room," said Shigure, with a slight smirk - slight worried smile. He chuckled a bit and scratched the back of his neck.

"Why then?" asked Yuki, clearly not getting the message.

"Oh come now Yuki, you're a boy. You should know by now what a lot of teenage boys do when they're alone in their room with nothing else on their mind but girls." Yuki's eyes widened.

"He can't do THAT here!" yelled Yuki, looking disgusted. "What if Tohru checks on him? Who knows how long she'll be affected if she sees him doing something like that!"

"Well, the only way to know for sure about this is to check on him ourselves. If he doesn't come down to dinner tomorrow, then we'll check on him."

Yuki nodded hesitantly in agreement. He'd hate to have to walk in on Kyou while he was doing something "private", but if it was to keep Tohru from seeing something she shouldn't, he'd grit his teeth and do it.

Shigure didn't really worry about the plan. Of course, things like this were expected from guys and there wasn't anything wrong with it, but knowing how innocent Tohru was, she wouldn't take seeing that so well as other girls. For the time being, Kyou would have to put it off until the whole thing between him and Tohru is settled. Shigure didn't expect Kyou to act in such behavior that he did at the night of the party. Something was stirring inside him and Shigure was a little wary about keeping Kyou around Tohru for a period of time. Not until this hormone rage wore off. It always did . . . right?

Morning came faster than Kyou expected. He found it hard to open his drowsy eyes. He had stayed up all night and the result hit him hard. He noticed that he had fallen off his bed in the middle of the night. He had another dream of Tohru and it must have made him turn around in his sleep. This one wasn't as explicit as the first, but explaining it to someone would raise a couple eyebrows.

"_At least it didn't affect me so much that I end up pitching a tent in the morning,"_ thought Kyou, running a hand through his hair.

Kyou rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Once he was washed and dressed, he realized how hungry he was. Everything else was oblivious to him at the moment. He couldn't even remember what he did last night; if he did anything in the first place. He could remember one detail, but it wasn't important now. Not till night came again . . .

All he knew was that he was too tired and too upset to eat yesterday. Today he felt brave enough to face Tohru, but only for a bit. Who knew how she would face him after a whole day of him ignoring her. Hopefully she wasn't too upset. She'd understand soon.

When Kyou came into the kitchen, he gulped a bit and blushed. Tohru hadn't seen him yet, because she was making breakfast. Kyou swallowed his shame and his fears, approaching her slowly from behind.

"Hey," said Kyou, his bashful smile apparent in his tone of voice, which was odd because he never really smiled much. Tohru turned around and almost dropped the cup of sugar she was holding when she saw him.

"Kyou!" she said, surprised, "I wasn't expecting you! Oh here, let me get you something, you must be starving."

It was funny how Tohru always jumped when she saw him. Ever since the party, she shivered when he was around. She just got so excited and shaken up with vigor whenever he walked into the room. This feeling in her gut just made her jumpy. Something about him just made her so . . . so . . .

Kyou watched Tohru walk over to the fridge, eyeing her every movement. Never before had she looked so beautiful to him. Her every curve and every feature seemed to move with a grace that he had never seen before. Every inch of her smooth white skin distracted him. It wasn't until she turned around that he realized that he was staring at her, and at places he wouldn't naturally stare at.

"I have left over rice balls if you want them," said Tohru, carrying the plate over to Kyou. "It'll tide you over until breakfast is ready. Kyou, are you alright?"

Tohru couldn't help but to laugh. Kyou looked so dreamy and spaced out, a side of him she had never seen before. What was with him today? And he looked so happy, which was rare to see sometimes. He was rather good with hiding his emotions, but over time, he started to get rusty in his skills. Even though Tohru found it weird that he was staring at her with his mouth slightly ajar, she found herself doing the same thing.

Kyou smiled. Why did he feel so . . . so . . . GIDDY? He knew it would be total cheese to joke with her with the words he had in mind, but somehow, he didn't care.

"Heh," he chuckled, obviously teasing her. "You, laughing at me?" Tohru giggled. Kyou went behind her quickly and grabbed her by the waist. He tickled her and she gasped and struggled in laughter. Once he let her calm down for a second, he grasped her tightly and thrust his lips onto hers. Tohru took it in willingly and held on to his broad shoulders. It all felt so right. He loved her so much. Everything about her just made him go crazy. Question was, how did she feel about his sudden openness?

Kyou broke of her lips and sighed, catching his breath. He pulled Tohru closer and laid his forehead on hers, looking straight into her eyes.

"I'm sorry about that one night on the roof," he said, starting to look serious. He even blushed, realizing how much he let his guard down just now. "I must have scared you."

"It's alright," said Tohru, smiling into his warm chest. "I'm just glad that you aren't mad at me."

"For what though? It was my fault. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Tohru reached for one more kiss, but Kyou just kissed her check and shied away from her. He blushed a bit at her reaction, but just ignored it. Staying with her any longer might make him lose control again. Kyou grabbed the plate of left over rice balls and went outside without another word.

Kyou realized how low he had sunk. He was staring at her in rude ways, thinking thoughts that weren't exactly "pure", and being reckless in front of her. He'd REALLY have to make it up to her. It was the only way to make him stop feeling so guilty.

Tohru stood in the kitchen, flustered and confused. Why did Kyou look so frustrated? And why did he leave in such a hurry? He didn't even wait for breakfast . . .

Kyou ran to a nearby store to pick up a couple things for his plan. He hoped that no one would be downstairs when he returned. Kyou looked around for what he needed. He picked up a magazine and couple of other supplies that he would need.

"_This is going to take me a long time, but it'll be worth it,"_ he thought._ "It might even take my mind off of . . . okay, it won't. But at least it'll keep me busy for a while. I better stay anonymous so no one will ask questions."_

Kyou paid for his purchases and headed back home, trying to look as innocent as possible. There was no way that anyone could find out about what he planned to do. He could only take in so much embarrassment. Unfortunately, he was spotted once he entered the door.

"Hey Kyou," greeted Shigure. "What'd you go to the store for?"

"Nothing," said Kyou, quickly. He ran up the stairs without another word, hopeful to avoid any other questions. Kyou put his supplies down and sighed. He finally got what he needed. This would help to take his mind off of his little dilemma for a while. He would start on it tonight . . .

"I heard the door open," said Yuki, coming back from the restroom. "Did that stupid cat come home already? That was rather quick."

"Yep," replied Shigure. "And he went to the store apparently. He wouldn't tell me what he bought, but one object looked like a book or a magazine or something. The other stuff, well, I don't know."

"Magazine? You mean . . . THAT kind of magazine?"

"Mmm, I don't know. I didn't see the contents on the cover."

Yuki blushed slightly. Unfortunately, he'd definitely have to check on him tonight. Of course, he REALLY didn't want to. For what reason would he want to walk in on that stupid cat's "fun hour"? He'd rather vomit.

Tohru finished making breakfast and Kyou came down to eat. Shigure and Yuki stayed quiet, eyeing the cat's every movement. But Kyou wouldn't budge. He didn't even look guilty, which confused them. He just ate quietly and kept to himself. He wasn't even scolding at Yuki today, which was really atypical. Tohru watched his silent behavior and ate slowly, worry slowly making her lose her appetite. Kyou didn't look sad or anything. In fact, he didn't have any expression at all.

After Kyou finished, he put his plate in the kitchen sink and went outside for a morning run. Everyone else just remained silent in confusion. For the rest of the day, Kyou remained hushed as well. Throughout lunch and tea, he just sat and ate, then leaving to go do things of his own. Yuki couldn't remember a single time that Kyou had been so calm.

Truthfully, Kyou wasn't really enjoying the silence. He figured that if he didn't talk to anyone, let alone Tohru, it would keep him from saying something he would regret and losing it in front of Tohru again. But it only made it worse. Shigure, Yuki, and Tohru were all staring at him, yet nobody dared to talk to him. Was he scaring them or something?

When night came around, Kyou shut himself in his room. The only time when anyone saw him was when he came out to use the bathroom. Otherwise, he stayed cooped up in his room. Dinner went by quietly until Tohru began to worry about Kyou again. She told Yuki and Shigure that she'd go upstairs to check on him.

"No!" said Yuki, yelling louder than he would have liked. "I mean, you need to finish your dinner. Since I'm already finished, I'll go check on him."

Shigure called Yuki over to him. Yuki got closer so Shigure could whisper in his ear.

"Listen," whispered Shigure, "if he's doing, uh . . . 'you know what' then come let me know. Then I'll go up and talk to him. I doubt he'll listen but it's the best I can do."

Yuki nodded and headed upstairs, preparing for the worst. He knew that he shouldn't knock. Kyou would try to hide whatever he was doing. Yuki would have to have the element of surprise by his side and catch him red-handed. He tried to think of an excuse to see him. "_I know, I'll say 'Dinner's ready'," _he thought.

Yuki approached Kyou's door and sighed. He wasn't going to like this. He knew that Kyou would chew him out later. Oh well, he always won the fights anyways. Yuki put his ear to the door and heard a slight groaning and panting noises. Why was he breathing so hard?

Yuki sighed and barged in. Kyou jumped up in surprise, hiding something behind his back.

"Uh, what are you doing?" asked Yuki, completely forgetting his lines.

"None of your beeswax ya damn rat!" yelled Kyou, obviously flustered. Yuki wasn't expecting what he saw though. Sure, there was a magazine but it was different from what he thought it would be. It was instructions on making pottery without machinery. There was a towel on the ground with a plate of forming clay and paints.

"What's behind your back?" Yuki asked curiously. Kyou looked hesitant at first but he knew it was a lost battle.

"If I tell you, you have to swear that you won't tell anyone," said Kyou, looking away. "Especially Tohru!"

"Okay, I won't."

"sigh I'm making Tohru a flower pot for her room. I just can't get this damn piece to stick!"

"_Oh, so that's why he was breathing so hard," _thought Yuki, scratching his head. But there was one thing he didn't get. Kyou wasn't the artistic type, so . . .

"Why don't you just buy her a nice one to make it easier on yourself?"

Kyou kept silent for a moment. "Well," he started, stuttering, "I-I, I uh . . . I needed to keep my hands occupied. IS THAT SO WRONG?!"

"No, I-I suppose not."

Yuki looked at Kyou suspiciously, but he figured that it was just a harmless gesture. Yuki went downstairs to tell Shigure that it was all under control . . . for now.

* * *

**SIGH That was 15 pages long people. 15!!!!!!!!!! I know I said before in Stand Together that I was going to update Shift in the Balance first, but I really wanted to get this long chapter out of the way. Phew, that was alot of typing!!! Lol, anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and I will let you know in my profile when I will update this story again. Till then, adu. - dragondustbubblez**

**P.S. - I tried to alter my writing skills a bit to make reading the dialogue easier. Hope it helps! **


	6. Trial and Error

Chapter 6 – Trial and Error

"No, no, no!" cried Yuki. "The other way! You're going the wrong way! Your sense of direction is horrible."

"Shut up!" yelled Kyou. "I know what I'm doing! The flower shop is THIS way!" 

Yuki and Kyou bickered the whole way. Yuki, regretting it every moment, was asked reluctantly by Kyou to go with him to pick out flowers for the pot he made for Tohru. Kyou just figured that Yuki knew Tohru plant preferences better than him.

Turned out, neither of them really knew what kind of flower she liked, but with both there to work it out, they'd find something. They were wrong. 

They hadn't even found the shop yet and they were already arguing. 

"I TOLD you the shop was this way," sighed Yuki, when they had finally arrived. "You should have listened. It's unfortunate that you have the attention span of a peanut."

Kyou growled in his throat, resisting the urge to punch him the face. Both walked into the store and the fragrance of the flowers hit them the moment they took a breath. 

It was so strong! Yuki didn't mind much but Kyou covered his nose in disgust. "Let's hurry up, okay?" he pleaded.

Yuki walked over to the roses department. 

"How about roses?" he asked. Kyou looked at them and thought hard. He shook his head.

"Nah, to cliché," he replied.

It seemed that every flower Yuki and Kyou picked, neither of them could agree on the flower type. Plus, they were often distracted by the stares that every female in the store gave them. 

"Hey, it's MY gift!" yelled Kyou, getting frustrated. "You don't have a say in this!" 

"Well, YOU asked for MY help!" yelled Yuki, starting to get annoyed. "I think I have the right to help you choose!" 

People all around the store stared at the two quarreling boys and watched. Most thought it was some sort of lover's spat.

After what seemed hours, they had finally found a flower type that seemed to suit them both. They had found small yellow wild flowers that were easy to take care of and were appealing to the eye. These would have to do, since it seemed to explain Tohru the best.

After paying for the soil and the flowers, both headed home. Yuki sighed as the silence between them dragged on. It had been so long since they had agreed on anything, and they weren't even arguing for the moment. 

Yuki looked over at Kyou curiously, who seemed to be in deep thought. But instead of his usual scowl, he looked worried. Yuki had a feeling he knew what it was about. 

"She's not mad at you, you know?" he said quietly. "You might as well stop hiding and talk to her." 

"I already did," claimed Kyou, looking at the ground while he walked. 

"How'd it go?" 

"Nmm . . . S'alright. She's not mad."

"That's great but, what are you guys going to do?" 

"Nothing.''

"Nothing?" 

"Nope."

Yuki looked at him in a strange way. He felt as if he was missing something important. Kyou usually didn't act so quiet like this. Maybe he was hiding something. But Yuki decided to just let it be.

"Okay," said Yuki, ending his conversation. He waited for a response. Nothing leaked from Kyou's mouth. Yuki gave up and continued to walk. Maybe Shigure could get Kyou to speak.

When they reached the house, Yuki searched around for Shigure, but he didn't seem to be there. 

_"Oh, I forgot,"_ thought Yuki. _"He had a meeting with his editor."_ He'd just have to wait for Shigure to come back. For now, he could just check on his garden. It had rained the other day and he feared that it might have drowned his vegetables. After grabbing his coat, he went outside. Meanwhile, Kyou was assembling Tohru's gift.

_"Maybe,"_ thought Kyou, _"because of this gift, it might be easier for her to take in the news."_

He had to tell her today. Kyou knew that he shouldn't hesitate anymore, and, starting today, he'd gather up the courage to tell her about what he wanted. No matter how much he tried to keep himself from confessing, it never changed what he desired to do with her. He had to let her know and soon. He might drive himself to do something drastic if he didn't. 

Kyou took the yellow flowers out of their packages and put them into the pot he made. It seemed to match perfectly, much to his surprise. The only question was if she would like them. Kyou carefully carried the flowers as he walked down the stairs. Knowing Tohru so well, she was probably in the kitchen again. 

_"Geez,"_ thought Kyou. _"It seems like every time I try to confess to her, she's in the kitchen! Not a very picturesque place to pursue someone."_

Of course, he was right. There was Tohru, dressed in her sunny, blue dress, cutting lettuce leaves for the sandwiches they were to eat tomorrow. She looked radiant as always as she put her knife down and reached for another ingredient.

Kyou quietly put the flowers onto a nearby counter and he tip-toed over to her, being as sneaky as possible. How was it that every time Tohru was with him, he would become somewhat playful and teasing? The effect she had on him was unbelievable. 

Kyou put his hands over her eyes, snickering. 

"Guess who," he said dangerously.

Tohru thought for a moment. 

"Shigure?" she guessed.

Kyou sighed. 

"Tsk," he said. "Not even close. Guess again." 

"Um, Yuki?" she guessed again.

"HELL NO! I'll never be like that bastard!" 

Tohru smiled.

"Kyou!"

She turned around to see the smirking orange-head she missed seeing so much; even if they haven't seen each other in just a few hours. Funny how loving someone could make you miss them so quickly. But he DID feel distant lately . . . 

"Hey," said Kyou, sweetly. "I've got something for you."

He picked up the flower pot and gave it to Tohru. She smiled widely with delight and her cheeks flushed with happiness.

"Oh Kyou! They're lovely! Are they for me?" 

"I ain't givin' them to anybody else, am I? Of course they're for you. And you can thank that damn rat too. He helped me pick the flowers."

Kyou grumbled. He hated to include Yuki in but he knew he would get back at him if he didn't say anything. Tohru smiled ear to ear, put down the flower pot back onto the counter and ran up to Kyou, embracing him in a tight hug.

He kissed her lightly, blushing happily. He would have continued to kiss her as he got into it deeply, (he embarrassingly felt the need to stick his tongue in, but resisted) but suddenly remembered why he came in the first place.

He let go of her, hesitantly for a moment, and looked into her eyes. His heart melted as he thought of what he'd have to say. It grew harder to speak every minute he held in his words. Kyou opened his mouth but only hot air came out between his lips. Tohru started to look concerned.

"Kyou?" she asked. "A-Are you alright?" 

Kyou shook out of his phase. 

"I-I just need to think for a moment. I'll be right back, kay?" 

Tohru nodded and he pressed his lips to her forehead. He headed out the doorway, leaving Tohru behind with her cooking.

"_DAMMIT!" _thought Kyou, slamming his fist against the wall and gritting his teeth. _"I can't afford to lose this chance. If I can't tell her now, I'll never be able to later. But . . . what do I say? How about this . . . Hey Tohru, can I talk to you? I love you very much and was wondering if we could . . . uh . . . you know . . . mingle? Play around? No, that sounds dirty. Mmm . . . DO it? No, she wouldn't know what I'm talking about. But I can't be explicit either. I don't want to scare her."_

But Kyou knew that asking this in the first place would scare her anyway. He just hoped that she'd forgive him and forget he even asked. Kyou just wanted the moment of rejection to happen to get this off his chest. Though, for some strange reason, he felt dreadful at the thought of her saying no. Why did he want this so badly? True, he was a so-called "healthy" male, but he wanted more than just the experience alone.

He wanted HER, and he wanted HER badly. He wanted to see her as herself, without any form of cloth on her soft, precious skin. He wanted to let go and expose his shame to the one who'd understand it. He wanted to feel her every curve, her every heart beat, every part of her that existed. That alone would make up for the pleasure that he would never achieve. 

Never before had Kyou thought of this so much. It might have been the first time. He had never looked at Tohru the way he did now before either. Just a few months ago, she was probably just the biggest crush he would ever have. Now, she wasn't just a crush. She belonged to him and he'd never get tired of her presence. 

She was so warm, smiling and laughing. When she cried, his heart grew heavy. It was like Tohru was a part of him now. Her grin, her tears, her soft, pink lips, her blush . . . And, more than anything in the world, Kyou wanted to rest his head, on weary, rainy days, onto the warmest part of her body (at least he thought it might be). Her breasts . . . 

Kyou blushed slightly, actually, for once in his guarded life, picturing what they might look and feel like. He wanted to see her body react with his touch. Would she shiver with delight? Blush bashfully? It was pretty explanatory. He wanted to be with her, to be IN her. Sex had never looked so pure in his mind. 

To be honest with himself, Kyou was never good with words, but when it came to this, he was careful. He never said "love" unless he meant it. Maybe now was the time to say it. 

Funny thing was, after all that thinking about what he wanted, he couldn't bring himself to talk about it. 

"So, Kyou, what did you want to say?" asked Tohru, eagerly, when he came back into the kitchen.

Kyou froze up. Looking into Tohru's naive eyes just ended his confidence. He'd hate to break that innocence. 

"_But, I have to try,"_ thought Kyou. _"I'll never know her answer if I just wait." _But it was impossible. There was no way that this innocent girl in front of him would want the same thing he did. There was just no way.

"Kyou?" asked Tohru, still concerned from his silence. "Is everything alright? You're awfully quiet."

Kyou stared blankly at her face with slight horror. He had nothing to say. But he had to say something.

"T-Tohru," he started stuttering, "Can I ask you something?" 

Tohru looked into his orange eyes, looking for an answer to this riddle in his expression. 

"Uh-huh. What is it, Kyou?" 

Kyou blushed slightly, closing his eyes. He tried to repel any unwelcome thoughts as he glanced at her features. 

"Tohru, I . . . I love you. You know that . . . don't you?"

"Of course. I l-love you too." 

"H-How . . . did you feel when . . . I-I was . . . was against y-you . . . on the roof?" 

Tohru blushed brightly and looked down. How DID she feel? Bashful? Well, she wasn't uncomfortable; Kyou never made her feel that way. But when she felt his whole body on her, a new feeling penetrated her heart. A feeling of longing swept through her. She wanted him to get closer than that. In fact, Tohru couldn't remember a single moment in her life where she thought of a boy's body so much. Not only that, but she wasn't embarrassed to think of it; she just wouldn't say it out loud. Since when had she been so curious of this kind of thing?

Tohru began to stutter as well.

"Well, I . . . I uh . . . I didn't think it was bad. It was kind of . . . well . . . sweet, I think. I'd have to say I'm . . . I'm curious about it . . ."

Tohru shivered a little at what she just said. What would Kyou think of her now? That she's a pervert? Nosy? She kept he sight to the ground, too scared to see Kyou's reaction. So, it was true. The things she had been pondering about since that one night were true. She was curious about that feeling. She wanted it to happen again. Apart from the awkwardness it brought, sweetness and comfort made up for it. To describe it, it felt like she and Kyou were one; joined together by an unbreakable bond.

How could she explain that to him? She opened her mouth to speak.

"I-I . . . I want to see . . . I want that to . . . t-to happen . . . aga- . . ." 

She broke off, her face flushing furiously. As she looked up at Kyou, she saw how frightened he seemed to look. 

"_Oh my,"_ thought Tohru. _"He must hate me for this."_ Fresh tears filled her eyes at the sight of Kyou's expression.

"_I went over the border. It's over. My goodness, what have I done? He's obviously disgusted but he's being so kind that he's hiding it with fright. I must have terrified him with my words! What have I done! I shouldn't have said anything! My desires were too explicit for him . . ." _

"I'm . . . I'm sorry!" yelled Tohru, running back into the kitchen in tears. Kyou forgot to breathe. This was his entire fault. Now she was mad at him because he brought up the subject of that forbidden night. He had scared her. He underestimated her innocence. She knew very well about what he wanted. This was it. If only he had been more careful with his words. If only . . .

"_She must hate me,"_ thought Kyou, listening somberly to her sobbing. _"I blew it . . . To think, I'd mess up the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I really am nothing more than a monster . . ."_

Kyou turned towards the door.

Tohru wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. She wouldn't dare go back to face Kyou. Was he angry? Upset? Had she done so much damage that he'd be crying? Oh dear . . . 

She had to talk to him. She needed to apologize and explain her words. There was no use in hiding if he already knew. 

Tohru put on her bravest face and walked out of the kitchen. 

"Kyou, I-" she began, but he was nowhere in sight. The front door was ajar in front of her and evenly spread footprints in the dirt told her that he was running. Tears welled up in her already wet eyes. He really did hate her, didn't he? Tohru muffled a sob but was unsuccessful in hiding it. 

Yuki, who had finished his trip to the secret garden, walked through the door, his hand occupied by freshly pulled carrots. 

"Ms. Honda!" he said, startled by Tohru's sobbing. Tohru began to turn away and hide her face. Yuki followed her.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Please don't cry. Come sit down with me and tell me what happened." 

Tohru took the tissue that Yuki offered her and blew her nose into it. As she prepared to talk to him, Kyou was not too far from the house. As he ran, he hoped the wind was washing away the tears he failed to fight back. 


	7. The Separation

* * *

Chapter 7 – The Separation

Yuki sat down beside the crying girl before him, taking a box of tissue with him. She looked devastated.

"There, there, Ms. Honda," he cooed softly, trying to calm her worried face. "Tell me what happened."

Tohru sniffled.

"I-I . . . I was talking to Kyou and he asked me about how I felt when we spent time together on the roof. I-I think I . . . I said too much, because after I told him, he ran out on me!"

She sobbed louder and Yuki dived in to dab her tears away.

"What did you tell him?" asked Yuki, feeling curious, though he tried not to pry. Tohru hiccupped.

"I-I told him that . . . that . . . oh no, I couldn't say it. You'd be disgusted! I'd hate to make you angry too!"

"Ms. Honda, it's alright. You can tell me. I won't be upset. I'm here to help you, not run away."

"Okay . . . I . . . I told him that I liked our time on the roof . . . and that I w-wanted to do it again. You should have seen his face. He looked so terrified!" Tohru sobbed harder.

"Are you sure you said everything clearly?"

"Well, not really. I was too embarrassed to even say the most of it!"

"Maybe he took you answer for something else. My guess is that he didn't understand what you said. Try talking to him again."

"Oh no! I couldn't . . . He's so angry with me . . ."

"Then I'll talk to him."

Tohru sighed. It wasn't what she had in mind, but it was better. Maybe if Yuki talked to Kyou for her, then maybe he'd calm down enough to talk to her . . . or just get even fussier because of Yuki.

"But Tohru," said Yuki, continuing, "I still don't understand. What were you trying to tell him?"

Tohru blushed brightly. Yuki had a feeling that it was something private, but he had to know.

"You don't have to tell me in great detail," he added when she looked embarrassed. "I just want the general idea. I have a feeling that you may want the same thing as him."

Tohru's face flushed even brighter than before. That wasn't likely to her. There was just no way.

"But, how do you know what I want?" she asked. Yuki smiled at her and stared her in the eyes.

"I don't," he replied. "That's why I'm asking. I think I already know what Kyou wants, but I'm not sure."

"But . . . but I can't say it. It's wrong for me to say. I should just forget about it . . ."

"Ms. Honda, it's okay. I'm not going to shun you away if you say something suggestive."

"But I don't want to say it!!"

Yuki stayed silent with shock. This was the first time that Tohru had ever yelled at him. She actually looked irritated too. He had gone too far with the questions, and he didn't even know it. Tohru went back into the kitchen with angry tears, leaving Yuki behind in the living room. He sighed.

"Alright," he said to himself, "I'll be here when you're ready to talk; sooner or later . . ."

Kyou stopped to catch his breath. He had run farther than he planned. It was probably because he was preoccupied in his thoughts. What did Tohru mean, "want to see"? What was she trying to tell him? Her crying, frightened face was stamped into his memory. Why did she look so upset? What did she want? So many questions ran through Kyou's head. He couldn't think about anything else.

But one part that he remembered seemed to contradict everything he thought was true. She had said that she wanted "that" to happen again. What to happen again? What happened on the roof? It couldn't be . . . She looked so scared when he asked her about it. Besides, Tohru wasn't really the one to talk about more mature things in a relationship. She was usually happy with what she had. But could it be possible that she wanted to . . . try?

"No," thought Kyou. "It would never happen. I need to keep my mind off of this. I think I'll go to my master's house."

Kyou began to jog some more, pushing the thoughts of Tohru out of his head. All he needed was some time off.

Shishou was tending to some of the bushes around the dojo. He looked up and saw Kyou.

"Hi Kyou," he said cheerfully. "You look tired. Have you been running all afternoon? I keep telling you not to overwork yourself."

"Yeah," replied Kyou, trying to catch his breath. "Hey, do you mind if I train in the dojo for a bit?"

"No problem. I don't have to teach a class today so go right ahead."

Kyou took some weights off the ground and began to lift them up and down. It took more difficulty than usual.

"Oh, I'm FINE," he told himself, mentally. "I'm just out of shape." He pumped faster.

Shishou came around the corner, carrying his hedge trimmer. He chuckled.

"Training for the Olympics?"

Kyou breathed hard in between every word in response.

"Just . . . really . . . BORED . . ."

Shishou looked at him in concern.

"Is something wrong? You look frustrated."

"I . . . ALWAYS . . . LOOK . . . LIKE THIS!"

Kyou grunted as the lifting became too hard for him. He dropped them on the ground and bent down to catch his breath.

"Oh?" asked Shishou, smirking. "And I'm supposed to assume that there's nothing on your mind?"

"Yep."

"Nm – mm, wrong. Come with me."

Kyou groaned in annoyance and followed his master into the sitting area. Kyou sat down on a couch and Shishou followed suit.

"So," he said. "Tell me what's been going on."

Kyou crossed his arms and leaned back on the couch, looking the other way.

"Nothing," he said.

"Nothing?"

"Yep. Nothing."

"Hm, I don't believe you. You have that pout-look . . ."

"No I don't! I always look like this . . ."

"Kyou . . ."

Kyou sighed.

"What?" he asked, rudely.

Shishou looked at him seriously.

"Now, I don't mean to pry, but you seem to be ignoring Tohru, I've heard. I just want to say that it's not really a good option in dealing with relationships."

"I'm not ignore- wait, how did you know about that?"

Shishou laughed softly.

"Shigure told me today."

"Damn dog," thought Kyou, scowling.

Shishou continued.

"If you really feel that strongly about being with her like that, you should tell her about it."

"Be with her like what?"

"Don't act like you don't even know. You obviously want to conceive with her and there's no use hiding it. I'm a grown man, so I can tell, even when you hide it."

Kyou looked to the ground, not answering.

"Kyou, look," said Shishou, "I understand what you're going through. I was a teenager once and I know how that feels. Don't think of it as a bad thing, because it's not. You never know, she might feel the same way."

"Not in a million years," thought Kyou, his upper lip curling a bit in anger. Shishou looked at him as he continued to be too stubborn to answer back.

"Kyou, talk to me. It's alright! Maybe I could help, you know, give you some pointers on telling her."

"No."

"Well, fine then. I'll be here when you want to talk."

Shishou got up, grabbed his gardening gloves off of the coffee table, and continued to trim the hedges outside.

Kyou sat on the couch for a couple more seconds, soaking in everything his master said. First of all, he had come here to keep his mind off of that subject and now his master was reminding him. Even worse then that, he was offering advice. Kyou would have to go some where else. But Shishou was right.

"But I just don't care," thought Kyou.

Kyou got up and stuffed his hands into his pockets. Walking out the back door seemed to be the better option than walking out the front. He wanted to avoid any further conversations with his master, or with anybody else he knew, now that Shigure had told everyone about his dilemma. As Kyou walked, he only had one thing in mind. He was going to KILL that damn dog . . .

Kyou breathed in and out slowly, shuffling along the sidewalk around town. While he still out, he might as well walk around and get some fresh air. But just as he started to feel somewhat better, his good mood was shattered. He heard a voice that was all too familiar. He began to turn around but it was too late.

"Kyon-Kyon!" called out Ayame, running after him in his red trench coat. Kyou acted like he didn't hear and began to walk faster.

"Kyou! Wait for me!"

Eventually, Ayame caught up to Kyou, much to his misfortune.

"How could you walk away from me like that?" whined Ayame. "So RUDE! Anyway, Shigure told me all about you and Tohru, so I just want to congratulate you! You've become a stud I see. Ha-ha! I knew you're inner feelings for her would come out one day! Don't worry, Kyon! It's only natural that a young man such as yourself should feel these desires! Just go easy on her. It's her first time after all, I'm sure!!"

Kyou's shoulders shook with anger. Why couldn't he get one moment's peace?

"What the fu-" he began, but Ayame interrupted.

"Kyou! What a dirty word to say! I hope you don't talk like that to Tohru. It's not a nice thing to say in the middle of an intimate situation . . ."

"What? What are you talking about, you prude? I'm not gonna do anything with Tohru."

"Oh Kyou, you can't deny it! You _**LOVE**_ her!"

"I'm gettin the hell out of here . . ."

"Kyou, wait! Don't go! I just want to help you!"

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!!"

"Come on Kyou, talk to me! Spill your secrets to me alone! I'll . . . I'll be serious!"

"Serious? Since when have you been SERIOUS?! AND ABOUT WHAT?!"

"Why, your intercourse with Tohru, of course! Ha-ha! What else! Everyone's been talking about it like it's the new fab!"

"You sick bastard . . . I don't even know what you're talking about!!"

"But it's only natural to have the desire to have your way with her Kyon-Kyon! EMBRACE IT LIKE A MOTHER TO HER NEW BORN!! ALL THE NIGHT SHALL COO IN UNICEN AS YOU EMBRACE AND TOUCH!! ALL BUT A MOMENT AND-"  
"DAMMIT!! I DON'T WANT MY WAY WITH ANYONE!!"

Kyou covered his ears in annoyance as Ayame continued his ongoing rant. Deep down, Kyou's heart throbbed painfully. Was he that obvious to all the Sohmas? How long would it be until the word reached Tohru? What was worse was that every word Ayame said was true, even if it was dreadfully exaggerated.

Kyou heard parts of Ayame's rant that made his jaw drop. How could he say things like this in public?! All the mothers across the street were covering their children's ears, giving Kyou a nasty look in return. Much to his dismay, his ever-persistent blush caught Ayame's eye.

"Ah-HA!" cried Ayame, overflowing with unnecessary passion. "I KNEW you felt this way! Only a boy's shyness can keep the world from knowing his TRUEST desire! That blush on your face, Kyou, is living proof!!"

Ayame turned his back to Kyou, assuming that he was still listening, and continued on loudly. Kyou made a run for it. He ran past every store and shop, avoiding any curious eyes. The anger and embarrassment welled up inside him with every step he took. It was all Shigure's fault and Kyou would be sure to kill him when he reached home. The moment Kyou opened the front door, his voice boomed out to its fullest.

"SHIGURE!!" he yelled, all his fury pouring out.

Shigure sat in his office, actually feeling frightened for once. He steadied his shaking knees, trying to regain a calm disposition. He knew Kyou would take it badly and it was fun to watch, but he was angrier than Shigure thought. He could hear the pain in Kyou's voice.

"What . . . the . . . HELL?!" said Kyou, having difficulty on his straining his speech.

Shigure decided to be serious on this one. Kyou looked like he was on the verge of tears. Maybe he'd gone too far . . .

"Welcome home," said Shigure, trying to look innocent and cheerful. Apparently, it didn't work. Kyou grabbed him by the collar of his kimono and looked him straight in the eye. Kyou tried his best to keep his emotions in check. Any weakness, such as crying, would give Shigure the chance to make things worse.

"Why are you telling everyone that I want my way with Tohru? It's sick!"

Shigure sighed as Kyou let go of his collar. He adjusted his glasses and closed the book he was holding.

"Kyou," he said seriously, "it's bound to happen one day. You and Tohru are really close and you won't be breaking apart any time soon. At least I should hope so. But probably not at all, I'm guessing. The time will come when Tohru will realize how you feel about that. She may feel the same."

"She'd never . . ."

"Oh, you don't know that. She loves you, Kyou. Soon, she could realize that the desire you have might be hers as well. You guys are pretty much adults now. You'll be finishing up high school next month. Kyou, you might as well tell her about what you want, you know, just so that she's aware of it."

"No! I'm not going to do it! I never would! Even if she wanted it, I wouldn't! I'd hurt her if I ever did that!!"

"Not if you use protection."

"NO!!"

"Uh, Kyou, not using protection is risky, you know."

"NO!! I MEANT DOING IT PERIOD!!"

"Then why are you hiding from her?"

"I . . . I'm not hiding anything. The only thing I hid from her was her gift. The flower pot I made for her a while ago."

"But I'm sure it didn't take you three weeks to make a flower pot . . ."

"Yes it did! I'm creatively challenged!!"

"Kyou, it's obvious to me that you didn't spend you whole time with arts and crafts. If you did, the pot would've been done within a few days. You've been doing something else to pass the time."

" . . . . . . ."

"Well?"

" . . . . . . ."  
"Kyou, tell me. I understand this very well. I know that your body is probably doing things it hasn't done before. You urges are probably stronger too. It's alright, I can relate. Just tell me."

" . . . . . . ."

"Look, I'm not saying that you HAVE to have sex with Tohru; I'd rather you wouldn't. I'm just saying that you should let her know so she doesn't get surprised in the future. You know how naïve she is. It could disturb her memory if she caught you masterb-"

"I KNOW!! I know . . . I just . . ."

Kyou looked to the ground, his eyes watering. True, he shouldn't avoid and ignore Tohru anymore, but it was just too hard to talk to her without feeling guilty. What could he do?

Kyou dismissed himself and ran upstairs, thankful that Yuki and Tohru weren't there to see him crying. Of course he felt pathetic, but he couldn't help it this time.

Shigure sighed and chuckled sadly to himself, feeling pity for Kyou.

"Ey Yi Yi," he said to himself, running a hand through his dark hair. "Too much testosterone in this house . . ."

Kyou hid his face in his hands as his shoulders shook. For the moment, he was thankful that he was alone. Still, he longed to be in Tohru's arms again, knowing that she'd comfort him with kind, gentle words.

Kyou checked his clock through his blurry eyes. 4:00. It was too early to go to sleep. Going out only meant more torment from Shigure or anybody else he might find on the street. Yuki would make it much worse and Tohru would most likely break down into tears if she even saw him. He was trapped. There was only one thing left to do.

Kyou wiped his eyes, got up, and locked his door. Trying to forget his troubles, Kyou reached underneath his futon and pulled out a couple magazines.

"At least this is good for one thing," he thought, smiling ironically to himself, eyeing the girls in bikinis on the front covers of the latest addition of XXX Tokyo.

"Put me in control, make me feel good."

* * *

**Just for reference, Kyou got those magazines from Shigure when he wasn't looking. If he asks, I said nothing . . . Oo lol, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!! - dragondustbubblez**


	8. Start

**Whoo! This took me awhile to type! Feels good to finish a chapter...**

Chapter 8 – Start

Tohru gripped the edge of her pajama blouse and gulped silently. She stood before Yuki's door, but she didn't dare to knock. It had been so long since she had talked to Kyou and the effect was bugging her. She knew it was time to negotiate. But the problem was, what would she say? Well Yuki DID say that he was there if she wanted to talk.

Unfortunately, it was 10:30 at night and he might be asleep.

"Tomorrow's Monday so I should let him sleep for school," thought Tohru. She began to turn around. But then, she thought about it a while longer. She might as well get it over with. Who knew how long she'd put it off if she didn't do it now.

Tohru knocked on the door, harder than she would have liked. She waited a couple minutes, but no one answered.

"He must be asleep," she thought. Suddenly, she heard movement from the other side of the door. She stood still, wanting to run, but still too afraid to move.

The door opened up and Yuki appeared in the doorway. Tohru almost laughed.

Yuki's hair was a mess, sticking up on all ends. His eyes were half closed and the buttons on his shirt were slightly undone. He looked extremely tired. Well, he wasn't one to wake up right away anyway.

"What is it, Ms. Honda?" asked Yuki, concealing a wide yawn that threatened to force its way out. "Is everything alright?"

Tohru smiled apologetically.

"Well, I did want to talk to you, but you look so sleepy. I'll let you go back to bed."

"Oh no, it's okay. Come on in."

Tohru stepped into Yuki's room as he turned on the lamp beside his bed. He sat down, smiled at her, and motioned for her to sit down next to him. Usually, she and Yuki kept a normal distance from each other, but since the curse was gone, it was no longer necessary. Still, sitting so close to him made her blush. Yuki hoped that she couldn't notice the faint blush that appeared on his face as well.

"So, Ms. Honda," Yuki began calmly, "what did you want to say?"

"Well," she began, twiddling her fingers, "I-I . . . I wanted to talk about . . . Kyou and I . . ."

"Ohhhh, I see. Is everything going alright?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I haven't talked to him in a while. I haven't talked to you in a while either so . . . I figured that I'd talk to you first, if that's okay. I don't know how to approach Kyou without feeling . . . guilty."

"Guilty? Why?"

"Because of what I was thinking the last time I talked to him. I . . . I don't even know why I thought that."

"Hmm . . . what did you think about?"

Tohru lowered her head in embarrassment. She trusted Yuki with all her heart, no doubt, but she really didn't want to give the news, even though a part of her wanted her to spill her guts. It was just . . . that if she told Yuki, she was afraid, being the proper gentleman that he was, that she would upset him deep inside and thus, ruining their trust. That was the last thing she wanted. After this, she'd have to keep her distance from Yuki for a while, just to make sure that he wasn't disturbed by all this.

Yuki rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"You can tell me," he said sweetly. "I won't tell anyone. I promise."

Tohru looked up at him, finding that she could trust him with this, even if he might not speak to her again. It was worth the try. Maybe he'd forgive her after some time . . .

"O-Okay," she started. "I'll tell you . . ."

Yuki waited patiently as she gathered her courage. Soon enough, Tohru spoke.

"Well, Kyou and I were talking about our time on the roof, because he apologized for it. I told him that it was okay, and he said he'd make it up to me. After a while, he came back and gave me a flower pot. He asked me about how I felt about what happened. I told him that I was . . . was curious. He . . . He looked so frightened after I said that. Then, I thought, wow . . . he must hate me for saying that. But what I said doesn't compare to what I thought."

Tohru paused for a moment, adjusted her shirt's collar, and continued.

"I . . . I told myself . . . that I wanted it . . . t-to happen again. I wanted to see Kyou do that again. I wondered what it would be like to . . . to . . .-_she lowered her voice_- . . . to have him on top of me. I wanted to see his . . . his . . . b-body. I want to see him . . . I wanted . . . to . . ."

Tohru covered her face with her hands, not being able to say anything else. But yet, she wouldn't cry. She didn't want to anymore.

Yuki finally understood. She really did want the same thing as Kyou. Amazing . . .

"I'm sorry," whimpered Tohru, still hiding her face. "I know this is really wrong of me to-"

"No, Ms. Honda," interrupted Yuki, "it's perfectly natural to think this way. There's nothing wrong with it at all."

"But doesn't it mean that I'm . . . d-disgusting?"

"No . . . it means that you're human. A human who . . . who really loves someone."

Tohru lifted her head up in thought. She had never thought of it that way. LOVE? It couldn't be . . .

Yuki put his arm around Tohru's shoulder and smiled.

"I have to admit, I don't really understand this feeling yet, but I think I know what you should do. Talk it through with Kyou. It's obvious he cares for you, so he'll listen to you. Besides, I get the feeling that he may feel the same way."

"Oh no! He couldn't!"

"Oh, you'll never know unless you ask."

The sunlight shined brightly through the kitchen window as Tohru prepared breakfast. After the talk with Yuki, she was feeling much more radiant than usual. For once, in what seemed a long time, she wanted to talk to Kyou. Now, she believed she could.

Once breakfast was ready, Shigure and, surprisingly, Yuki came down first. Kyou was still asleep. Sooner or later though, Kyou came down, looking especially tired. He was clean and dressed, but it looked like as if he had been roughed around by something. His hair stood up in certain directions, and his eyes were only half open. Tohru had never seen him like this before; usually it was Yuki who looked like that.

"Good morning, Kyou," said Tohru, cheerfully. Maybe speaking to him would wake him up. She had to talk to him today about how she felt. She just HAD to! If only it wasn't so hard . . ."

"Nm," replied Kyou, cocking his head to the side and attempting to smile. It had been awhile since he had heard Tohru speak to him. If he hadn't been up all night, he would have given a more intelligent response. Instead, he sat at the table, putting his arms on it to keep himself propped up and awake. Shigure suppressed a loud laugh at the sight while Yuki rolled his eyes.

Tohru went into the kitchen and brought out the food she prepared. She put a plate of it out in front of Kyou, hoping that he'd eat some of it. Kyou looked at the bowl of fish and rice, and felt his eyelids begin to drop. Within a couple seconds, Kyou's face fell right into his food, while he quietly snored.

Shigure broke out laughing, holding his sides for support while Tohru panicked.

"Oh no!" she cried. "He's asleep! He'll . . . he'll drown in his food!! Is that even possible?!"

"Tohru, relax," said Shigure, finishing his laughing fit. "He'll be fine. He's probably had a long night. Besides, he must be drained because of this morning's weather."

Sure enough, the weather was quite stormy today. Poor Kyou must have gotten sick from the rain's effect on him.

"Maybe he should stay home today," claimed Tohru, who worried over his limp, lifeless figure, which was still face down in breakfast. "But what will he do about notes? It's not good to miss them at school."

"You could let him borrow your notes when we get home," said Yuki, who was thankful that Kyou wasn't coming. It put him in a cheerful mood, despite the weather.

Even though Tohru was still anxious, agreed with Yuki's idea and headed out with him to school. Shigure shook Kyou until he woke up, and helped him pick the left over rice grains off his face. Kyou shrugged his way upstairs and crawled into bed without another word.

Kyou opened his eyes and sat up in his bed. He looked at his alarm clock and gasped. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and he was still sleeping! He was hungry too. He ran down the stairs and went into Shigure's office.

"Shigure!" shouted Kyou. "What happened? Why did I sleep in so late?"

Shigure looked up from his newspaper.

"Well, this morning you fell asleep in your breakfast and had a fever, so Tohru had you stay home today. Don't worry; she doesn't have to work today, so she'll be back soon."

Kyou sighed and rubbed his eyes. It was too bad that he was so tired this morning. He wanted to try and talk to Tohru again. The worst part for him was that she was spending more time at school with Yuki all day. He probably was taking advantage of Tohru's alone time while he and she weren't on speaking terms.

Kyou grumbled lowly at the thought. Trotting back upstairs, he put away and hid his smutty magazines under his futon, just to make sure they weren't within view. Kyou dropped one by accident. It happened to land on his so-called "favorite" page. It had a girl in a thin bikini, which just happened to look like Tohru, except she was taller and older. Kyou blushed at the page's picture as he remembered the night he had looked at that photo, and for about an hour at least. He quickly closed the magazine and stuffed it away with the others.

Despite the guiltiness he felt inside him, Kyou felt better. He figured that last night's "episode" was just what he needed. All the sexual pressure growing inside him only made him grumpier than usual. But today, he actually felt rather content, except for the rain.

"Damn it," thought Kyou, scratching at his head while looking out his bedroom window. "I can't go out for a run in this weather. Looks like I'm stuck inside today until Tohru and that damn rat come home."

Kyou made his way downstairs again and entered the living room. With nothing better to do, he grabbed the remote near the coffee table, sat down on the floor, put his legs underneath the table's cover, and turned on the T.V. He flipped through the channels until he found a suitable station. Shigure, who was still in his office, heard the television and went to join Kyou for a while.

"Hello Kyou," he said cheerfully. "It won't be long until Tohru comes back. Are you going to attempt to talk to her today?"

"I don't know," replied Kyou, stretching his arms. "I'll try today, but I don't expect great results. She'll probably just end up crying again."

"Well, if that's the case, at least you tried. Are you ready to tell her? I should hope so after all these weeks."

"Yeah, I think I'm ready. I wanna tell her before we graduate, if I can."

"Then you better tell her soon. Graduation is not too far ahead."

Shigure's eyes filled with fake, crocodile tears. Kyou just ignored his whining.

"Oh my," cried Shigure. "Where HAVE the years gone? My little Tohru, about to be wooed by this orange-haired man before me. Next, I'll be going to a marriage ceremony!"

"That ain't gonna happen!" yelled Kyou, blushing. "Stop talking about crazy stuff like that."

"Well, the least I can do is give you tips on how to tell Tohru the big news."

Kyou turned away, but kept an ear open for helpful clues, if there were any.

Shigure put a finger under his chin.

"Oh, where to begin?" he said. ". . . . . Oh yes! I remember now. Rule one: Be as honest as possible. Don't hide something unless it's for her own good. Rule two: Remain calm. Overacting won't get you very far. Rule three: Eat non-methane inducing foods, such as broccoli and cheese."

"What's that got to do with anything?" asked Kyou, confused with the third rule.

"Well, it's likely that you'll get nervous," Shigure began, chuckling, "so the more nervous you are, the more likely you'll poot!"

"That's stupid!" shouted Kyou, a blush playing across his face once more. "I wouldn't do that in front of her anyway! It's GROSS!!"

"It's only natural, Kyou. It can happen to anyone actually."

"I know that!"

Kyou turned back to the T.V., regretting that he had to admit that Shigure was right. That was the last thing he wanted to happen, but not as much as his "other" embarrassing body function. Perhaps precaution was a good idea.

Within an hour, Tohru and Yuki came home Shigure greeted them, as usual.

"Welcome home, you two," he said. "I hope school went well."

"Oh, it did!" claimed Tohru. "Today, we were preparing for finals. It was a rather easy day."

Yuki smiled at her enthusiasm and went to his room to put his stuff down. Tohru went to look for Kyou, who was still in the living room.

At first, Tohru was afraid to negotiate contact. It had been so long since she had talked to him and it was a bit awkward for her. But he seemed so calm watching T.V. Maybe she could join him, just so that she had an excuse to suddenly sit by him.

It was easier than she thought. She sat next to him, and within a few seconds, he realized Tohru was sitting beside him. In a way, he wasn't surprised at her arrival. He had wanted to speak to her anyway.

"Hi Kyou," started Tohru, her cheeks heating quickly. "It's been awhile since we've spoken. I'm sorry if I upset you before."

Kyou looked over at her in confusion.

"Me? Upset? Why'd you think that? I thought I upset you."

"Oh no, I was only upset because I thought I made you upset."

"But I wasn't."

"Then why did you seem so frightened while we were talking about the night on the roof?"

"Well, I wasn't scared. I was just . . . afraid of . . . w-what you'd say."

Tohru's eyes widened in understanding. So apparently, he was worried about her this whole time, just as she was worried about him. How selfish she had been . . .

"I-I'm sorry," she said, bowing her head. "I thought you were mad. I didn't you were worried about me. I've been so selfish, I'm sorry!"

Kyou smiled. Maybe things were starting to take a turn for the better. Perhaps, he was brave enough to TELL her . . .

"It's my fault," he admitted. "I should have said something to you. It's just . . . I have something important to tell you."

"Yes?" asked Tohru, her full attention on him. Kyou blushed slightly, forgetting how close she was to his face. If it wasn't for her question, he would have forgotten and locked lips with her immediately, since it was so tempting after all this time without her. But now was not the time. He couldn't let his shyness or his shame get in the way either.

Kyou took Tohru's hand in his. He turned off the T.V. and focused on what he wanted to say. It wasn't going to be easy, but he had faith that she'd be able to take it. It wasn't worse than when she saw his true form from awhile back.

"Tohru," he started, gulping, "what I'm about to say to you . . . it may scare you a bit. But please, don't . . . don't run away and please PLEASE don't cry. I'm not going to expect an answer right away, but please be honest with me on how you feel a-about it all and stuff."

Kyou lowered his face and hid his eyes behind his bangs, trying to hide any apparent weakness.

"Tohru . . . I want to . . . I . . ."

Tohru leaned in closer to him, his voice becoming harder and harder to hear. Just as Kyou was about to speak, someone came through the walkway and into the living room.

"Ms. Honda, I have those notes you missed if you want them," called Yuki from the doorway.

Tohru got up and thanked him, taking the notes from his hand and going back to Kyou.

"Um, Kyou," she began, "I'm sorry but can we continue this later? I have to finish my notes."

Kyou sighed and nodded. Tohru apologized again and ran upstairs. Kyou cursed quietly to himself.

"You know, Kyou," started Yuki, "you'll have to tell her sooner or later. You can't forever hide the fact that-"

"I KNOW!!" yelled Kyou. "God dammit, how may times do I have to hear this?! Geez, I'm getting tired of hearing this crap!"

"Then do something about it."

"I'm trying to!! It's not that easy!"

"You could at least try harder."

"I WAS GOING TO TELL HER BEFORE YOU CAME IN YOU BASTARD!! YOU INTERRUPTED EVERYTHING!!"

Yuki sighed and said nothing. True, he had come in at the wrong time, but he was too proud to admit it at the moment. Besides, that wasn't the point.

"Hmph," started Yuki, changing the subject. "Well, the thing is, you shouldn't expect Ms. Honda to want the same thing you want. She's too innocent for that so be cautious when telling her the news, for her sake. The last thing we want is for her memory to be disturbed. Also, even if she happens to want the same thing you do, don't even THINK about intercourse as an option. I won't allow you to put Ms. Honda in danger."

"Tsk," sneered Kyou. "I wouldn't even try. You bastard, you know I wouldn't do that!!"

"Even so, I think a warning is less justified. I'm just trying to keep Ms. Honda from doing something she'll regret."

"It's not me you should worry about. What if she's the one who wants to do something like that?"

"Well, if she did, which I highly doubt, then the best thing to do is to say not to her. It might hurt her feelings, but she'll thank you for it later. But . . . if she really wants to, perhaps, and it kills me to say it, perhaps . . . she and you could . . . try it . . . for a little bit."

Yuki looked away, trying not to show the anger he felt by saying these words. He loathed the image of Kyou on top of Tohru like that, but if it was what she wanted . . .

Kyou concealed the words he wanted to shout at him. Who could say he had the right to butt in? Sure, it was for Tohru's own good, but it really was HER choice, not Yuki's. But at least he was being slightly open-minded about the whole thing. He had to show SOME thanks, if possible.

"Oh," said Kyou, searching for the right words. "So . . . you're saying that it's fine with you . . ."

"No," said Yuki, quickly and curtly. "I'm just saying that it's Ms. Honda's choice and not mine. I just want her to know what she's getting into."

"She's not stupid, you know. She's just . . . she's . . ."

"Naïve."

"Y-Yeah."

Yuki sighed, crossed his arms, and leaned against the frame of the doorway. He looked rather worried. Yuki knew that it was their choice, now that they were pretty much almost adults, what with graduation coming this Friday, but . . . the whole idea just didn't seem secure. Kyou seemed to take the hint from Yuki's expression.

"I'm not going to hurt her, if that's what you're thinking," said Kyou.

"I hope so," said Yuki, sincerely. "Just . . . just spare me the details and try to keep the noise level down. I'd hate to hear your moaning."

Kyou fought the urge to punch him, feeling the butterflies knock around his stomach.

"Also," stated Yuki, before he left. "Use protection. Heaven forbid you don't."

Kyou narrowed his eyes and answered.

"Like I wouldn't! Besides, what would you do to me if I didn't anyway? Punk asshole . . ."

Yuki turned his head to Kyou with a malicious, cruel, ice-cold grin.

"I'D. KILL. YOU."

And with that, Yuki left the room, leaving the somewhat flustered Kyou behind.

* * *

**Poor Yuki . . . It's a good thing he doesn't like Tohru like Kyou does. This reminds me of the whole "Scotty Doesn't Know" song thing. Oo**


	9. Graduation

**Be patient...the climax is coming soon! 3**

Chapter 9 – Graduation

The last week went by fast. Finals were fussed over and now it was all done with. Kyou, Yuki, and Tohru had all passed their tests with flying colors and were on their way to brighter futures. Well, at least Yuki and Tohru were.

Kyou knew very well that the curse was gone and all, but he still didn't know what to do after high school. He also knew that Tohru would want to go to a nice college, but which one? Could he possibly join her? But despite his worry, he felt better than he had in weeks; months even.

He was talking to Tohru again and their relationship had stayed together after all. True, he still hadn't told her the "big news", but he had a set date to do so. To put less stress on her and, Kyou decided to let her know after the graduation; that way, she didn't have to worry about it while walking to her diploma. And, to celebrate, he planned to treat her to congratulate her on her success at fulfilling her promise to her mother. It was the most he could do.

For now, he had to focus on his courage for the day he'd tell Tohru about his feelings. He'd have to be patient, though the urge to completely take over her was getting testy. He couldn't even look at her without a fantasy coming to mind. His body was going overboard.

"Alright seniors," said the teacher. "You've completed high school well and are on your way to being responsible adults. I want to thank you all for you hard work and participation. It's been a great year and I enjoyed teaching you guys. I wish you all great, long lives. See you tomorrow."

The bell rang loudly, dismissing all students.

"Alright, don't forget how to present yourself tomorrow!"

Kyou got up and went over to Tohru, waiting for her to pack. Yuki was about to join them, but was stopped by a familiar girl.

"Oh, hi Machi," said Yuki, a light blush coming across his cheeks. "So I guess you'll be graduating next year, right?"

"Y-Yeah," she answered sadly.

"Machi, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer. She looked slightly angry but a little teary-eyed, though she desperately tried to hide it. She must have walked all the way from her class just to see him. Obviously, she was probably feeling a little embarrassed.

Yuki took her hand and pulled her into the hallway. Avoiding the stares of the people walking by, he faced Machi.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

She kept quiet.

"Come on, Machi, tell me. What's on your mind? You look terrible."

"Well SORRY for looking so terrible!" she exclaimed, angrily. "If I look so terrible, why don't you just leave?!"

"I didn't mean it that way! I'm just saying, you look upset. What's on your mind?"

Machi opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her angry expression grew and she turned away, blushing.

"Why do you have to graduate so soon?" she asked softly. "It's . . . it's not fair. You know, to the council. We need a leader . . ."

Yuki smiled.

"What are you saying? I'm sure Kakeru can take over for me. I have to graduate."

"I know that! It's just . . . well, they need you. I . . ."

"Are you saying that you'll miss me?"

". . . . . I guess."

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Since Yuki seemed to be taking a long time, Kyou decided to go on home without him.

"Wait Kyou," said Tohru, "shouldn't we wait for Yuki? I'm sure he'll come soon. He doesn't have a student council meeting today."

"He's taking too long," whined Kyou. "I wanna go home."

Tohru wanted to wait, but she had something important to ask Kyou. She followed behind him, trying to catch up to his quick speed.

"Um, Kyou?" she asked, trying not to pry. "You were about to say something to me a couple days ago. What were you going to ask me?"

Kyou looked at her with a soft, unsure smile. He lowered his voice, sounding seductive but nervous. It almost didn't sound like him.

". . . You'll see," he sighed, looking at her with worried eyes. Tohru's excitement grew.

"What is it about?"

"It's about . . . it's about us."

"D-Did I do something wrong?"

"No, course not! I mean that it's a possibly good thing."

"Possible?"

"Depends on if you like it or not."

"I'm sure I will. You're very kind, Kyou. I know it'll be a great talk, whatever it's about. Oh, you make me so curious!"

Tohru beamed, giggling while thinking of the possibilities. Kyou enjoyed the sight of her smile, while it still lasted. If he didn't memorize it now, he might not ever see it again. But for now, he had to work on deepening their relationship. He had to do something nice for her, in hopes that it would make up for the facts he would soon tell her.

"Hey, uh," he began, "do you . . . do you wanna, I don't know . . . g-go out?"

"Ha-ha! We are out, silly!" she cooed.

Kyou sighed.

"That's not what I meant. Maybe if I put it this way . . . Tohru . . . would you like to go somewhere with me? You know, somewhere nice . . . alone together."

Then, Tohru understood. She instantly blushed. Being completely alone with Kyou was something she'd never done before. She looked up at him. He was looking away, his face cherry red.

"Okay," she answered with a sweet smile.

Kyou took her by the hand. Soon, they were off towards the park.

"Hey, let's go get some ice cream!" Tohru said happily. Kyou nodded. He took money out of his pocket and got two vanilla flavored cones.

They tried to find a place to sit, but most of the benches were already occupied by other couples. The only place that was deserted was a set of two lonely swings. Kyou and Tohru sat in them and ate their ice cream, while talking about their school memories.

"Kyou, this is wonderful!" cried Tohru, her face joyful. "I love the swings!"

"I'm glad you do," smiled Kyou, munching on his leftover cone. The swings weren't his idea of a romantic setting, but if she liked it, that was enough. "We should do these dates more often."

"D-Date? This is a date?"

"Yeah, it's when you ask someone out. It's what guys do with their . . . uh . . . g-girlfriends."

"I'm your . . . girlfriend?"

The word sounded so strange to Tohru's ears. She couldn't think of him as a boyfriend. No, there was much more to their companionship than that . . .

"Yeah, I guess you are," answered Kyou. "I mean, we k-kiss and stuff."

"I've never thought of it like that."

"What do you see me as then?"

Tohru didn't answer right away. She really didn't know what she considered him. She never stopped to think about. She definitely felt feelings for him, maybe even a spark of love, but he wasn't her boyfriend. It just . . . didn't fit this title.

"I-I don't really know," she said. "To tell the truth, I don't really see you as a boyfriend."

Kyou's heart sank slightly as he turned his head away. Maybe he shouldn't tell her his desires after all, if she really thought of him like that. But then, something changed his mind.

"I don't see you as a boyfriend," she continued, "but, I see you as more than that. I know that we'll stay together forev- . . . for a long time. You're my . . . my . . . missing piece, I think."

Kyou turned his head back to her, his eyes growing liquid soft as he gazed at her. He then realized how foolish the words girlfriend and boyfriend were. They were meaningless compared to the bond he shared with her. She was his other half, in more ways than one.

Kyou pulled his swing closer to her's and locked her into a long kiss. Without either of them holding back, they mixed their tongues together with one another. The taste of her warm breath and the ice cream made his heart spin with a new sensation. He grew dizzy and held her face in the palm of his hand. She gripped his jacket tightly, feeling the emotion spread through her and sending butterflies to the pit of her stomach.

She unlocked her lips from his and gasped for air, while Kyou wiped off the excess saliva off her soft lips. Tohru placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat quicken.

"Your heart's thumping as fast as mine," she stated, smiling. "It's pretty fast, huh?"

Kyou chuckled at her enthusiasm. Tohru looked down for a moment, and then looked Kyou in the eyes sheepishly.

"Could you tell me the news now?"

Kyou brought her close and kissed her cheek, whispering in her ear.

"Later," he said calmly.

"You sound so sure."

"I am. I'm going to tell; whether you're going to accept it or not is up to you. I have to try."

"Try? Is it hard to say?"

"Yeah, it's kind of hard. But I'll be able to do it this time. To tell the truth, today . . . made me more . . . confident."

"Well, I'm glad about that. But, since you said that it was difficult to say, is . . . is there anything I can do to help?"

"Nah. I gotta do this on my own. All I need you to do is listen."

"No really! I'll try to help! I'll shut out all other noises! I'll keep my emotions in check at all times! I won't get angry or cry! Not that I might need to, but it's a promise!"

"Calm down! You don't have to do all that. But . . . y-you might not want to block away your feelings. Y-you . . . you might need to cry after I tell you . . ."

Tohru's smile sank slightly. Why would she need to cry? Was it possibly tears of joy? By the look on Kyou's face, it probably wasn't so. But what would he say that would make her cry right now? Was he? . . . Did he? . . . She had to ask.

"Are you going to tell me that . . . that you don't want to be with me anymore?" Tohru asked, weakly.

"No! No, that's not even close," said Kyou, taken by surprise. "It's the exact opposite, actually. But it still can make you cry."

"I don't understand."

"You will when I say it."

"When?"

"Don't worry about it."

Tohru's brow furrowed in worry, but she tried not to think about it. She knew that Kyou was serious about it. Something just told her to relax about it. But . . . what would Kyou say that would make her cry?

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"Today's the day! Today's the day!"

Shigure ran up the stairs, very hyper and very excited. He knocked on everyone's door and kept yelling, hoping to annoy both of the sleeping boys. (Tohru, luckily, was already up.)

Yuki looked up from under his covers, staring at his door with cold, angry eyes. It was five in the morning, and school wasn't until eight. He fought the urge to open the door in Shigure's face and flip him off. Shigure went to Kyou's door.

"Kyou . . . WAKE UP! It's grad-day!"

At first, it was silent, but then Shigure put his ear to Kyou's door. A hard object hit the door, followed by Kyou's curses.

"God DAMMIT!! SHIGURE!! I WAS SLEEPING, DAMMIT!! UHH!! YOU BASTARD!! SON OF A BITCH!!"

Shigure backed away slowly, getting ready to run if Kyou marched out of his room. Kyou continued to curse as Yuki walked out of his door and to the bathroom to bathe.

Kyou barged out his door and headed to the toilet, cursing the whole way over. Yuki, who was taking his bath, heard and shook his head. How could Kyou be so loud this early in the morning?

Shigure, smiling to himself, crawled back into his bed, proud of his morning work. Kyou finished relieving himself and stomped around downstairs, finding Tohru, who was ironing everyone's graduation coats. She looked a bit tired, but was as radiant as always.

"Hey Kyou," she said. "How are you this morning?"

Kyou just grumbled.

"What's wrong?" asked Tohru. "Did you not sleep well?"

"Nah," replied Kyou. "Shigure woke me up. He's going on about how excited he is about graduation. I don't see what the big deal is."

"Oh, but it is a big deal! We're leaving high school forever! We're almost adults now and . . . and things will change."

"Like what?"

" . . . Well, since I'm not going to be in school anymore, I probably have to leave from here, don't I?"

"Where'd you get that idea? Did Shigure bother you again?"

"No, it's just . . . don't people leave home after high school and go to college?"

"Like you have the money to pay for it! Besides, you don't leave right away. You gotta find out what you wanna do first. You don't have to leave yet."

Tohru smiled with relief and continued ironing the grad-coats. Kyou kissed her cheek and went to raid the refrigerator.

Yuki came down the stairs, already dressed and groomed. He met up with Tohru and wished her a good morning. Picking up the daily newspaper, he sat at the table and read, strictly out of boredom. He was too awake now to go back to sleep.

As soon as Tohru finished ironing, she went to start on breakfast. By then, Kyou had calmed down and Yuki was fully awake. They all sat down and ate some baked fish, rice, and miso soup once it was done. Yuki made small talk.

"So Ms. Honda," he began, "are you excited about grad-day?"

Tohru beamed.

"Yes! I am! I've been waiting for this moment for four years. I finally get to fulfill my mother's wish."

"She must be very proud of you. What else are you looking forward to?"

"Well, Kyou said that he was going to tell me something really important. He's going to tell me sometime after graduation, right Kyou?"

Both Kyou and Yuki remained silent. Tohru couldn't figure out why. What was even more confusing was that they were blushing quite furiously. Maybe they knew something she didn't? After breakfast, all three of them just sat around, waiting for the time to leave. Tohru sat still, wondering about what Kyou would say. She knew she wasn't supposed to worry about it, but the look on Yuki and Kyou's faces told her enough.

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Birds flew over head, chirping and perching on branches of the flowering trees. Many chairs were laid out on the school's lawn, while parents occupied most of them. All except Yuki's. Sure, his brother was there to witness his accomplishments, but his mother and father were no where near him now. As much as he hated this loneliness, he was thankful that he didn't have the pleasure of seeing their scowling faces. Besides, he wanted to see Tohru get her diploma, more that anything else.

"Kyou Sohma," called the speaker. People in the audience clapped, cat-calls came from the teasing boys below, and Kyou's master smiled proudly. Kyou accepted his diploma, while avoiding the snapping pictures of all the people.

"Yuki Sohma," said the speaker. Yuki walked on, his robe flowing gently in the breeze. Adoring screams came from his peers and tears flowed down the faces of the Yuki Fan Club girls. Ayame stood up and clapped loudly, claiming his ever-present love for his baby brother. Yuki smiled and waved, then stood up at the nearby podium to give his long awaited speech.

"Well," he began, "another year has come and gone. I want to thank everyone for supporting me at school. I want to thank everyone for supporting me at school. I want to thank the members of student council for cooperating and working with me. I'm proud to announce that Kakeru is the new president of student council. Machi will be vice president. Take care you two. Lastly, I'd like to thank the teachers on this campus. You've all been great. Have a great summer."

The crowd roared as Yuki left the stage. He would have stayed for pictures, but he had other matters to attend to . . .

"Tohru Honda." Tohru went to the stage, her face glowing with excitement and embarrassment; she could spot everyone she knew in the audience. Even her grandfather was there. Yuki sat in a seat next him. Kyou sat by his master. All of them clapped quickly. Tohru thanked the speaker and accepted the diploma. She smiled widely as tears fell down her face. She walked down and sat near the others. Kyou greeted her with a soft kiss.

"You did it," he claimed, smiling.

"You did too," she cooed back, laying her head on his chest. She let go and gave Yuki a long, tight hug. Yuki kissed the top of her hand in a princely way and let her go. He sneaked away and went to look for Machi.

"Oh dear," whined Shigure, "I promised myself I wouldn't cry. Oh . . . Hey, where'd Yuki go?"

"I think he went to find some girl or something," said Kyou, shrugging his shoulders.

"Ohhhh, I see. Well, I wish him luck."

Kyou looked over at Tohru and smiled He had never seen her so happy, and she usually was. He almost felt entirely guilty about the task to come. He'd hate to have to spoil her fun. But it was best to get it over with, or else he'd never do it. He'd have to tell her tonight. Not beforehand, not any later . . .


	10. Take Me

Chapter 10 – Take Me

**Finally!! The moment you've all been patiently waiting for! Thanks for sticking with this story so long!! (don't worry, I'm not close to the end yet)**

Yuki and Kyou covered their ears the whole way home, since Shigure wouldn't stop singing the graduation theme. Tohru just smiled and accepted it. Yuki tried to speak over it.

"So Ms. Honda," he began, but was interrupted by Shigure.

"You know, Yuki, you ought to call her by her first name, since you're out of high school and all. There's no need to be formal after all this time. What's wrong? Are you shy?"

"No," sighed Yuki. "I guess I just got used to the idea of calling her that."

"Well, at least give it a try."

"Fine . . . so TOHRU, (he winced at the sound of his voice) what will you do now since high school is over? Are you planning on going to college?"

"Maybe," she replied. "I'm not sure about where I want to go. I don't even know what kind of job I want."

"Is there anything you're interested in at all?"

" . . . Well, I did think about having a job with cooking."

"Oh, like a chef?"

"Something like that."

"That would fit you well, Ms. Hon-, I mean Tohru."

"Oh, I don't know about that, but thank you. Yuki, you can still call me by my last name if you want. I admit, that's what I'm used to."

"Oh, ha-ha, okay Ms. Honda."

Once everyone got home, Yuki, Tohru, and Kyou took off their robes and put on some regular clothing. Tohru headed out the front door a couple minutes later. Kyou caught up with her.

"Hey!" he called out to her. "Wait a sec."

"Yes, Kyou?" she asked, turning around.

"Uh, about what I'm supposed to tell you, I ah . . . I'll tell you tonight."

"Kyou, if . . . if you're too scared to tell me, you don't have to . . ."

"Why do you think I'm scared?"

"You're shaking . . ."

Tohru took Kyou's shivering hand. He looked away, trying to hide the expression on his face.

"But . . . I-I have to tell you," said Kyou, hesitantly. "Cause if I don't . . . it . . . it'll haunt me."

"Haunt you?" asked Tohru. She didn't understand what was so haunting. Perhaps he was scared by something. But . . . what?

"Yeah," continued Kyou, blushing. "I'll never let myself hear the end of it. I have to tell you."

"Okay. So . . . tonight?"

"Y-Yeah. Tonight."

Tohru looked into Kyou's eyes and smiled, hoping that somehow, she could give him some courage. Whatever Kyou had to say, it made him extremely bashful. But there was something in the way Kyou looked at her. Strangely, it made her heat up in ways she never thought possible. Tohru, looking away, blushed and pulled down on the edges of her skirt nervously. She planted a slow kiss onto Kyou's lips and left for work, her mind staying on a strange and sudden subject.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kyou had to prepare. But the last time he tried to prepare, he lost his words. He needed a backup plan. He'd often heard from TV shows that when a man was to woo a woman, he'd treat her to something first before popping the big question; as if to settle the mood and make it right. If that could be arranged, then maybe Tohru would be calm and content enough to handle the news he'd give her.

Kyou shook his head. Why had he set his mind to this so much? It wasn't like he'd get yes for an answer. Besides, it was only the occasional, spur-of-the-moment urges from the ever persistent male hormones, right? But then again, this constant "urge" had been going on for more than a month. Maybe now was the time to relieve himself of that. Kyou figured that the sooner he got rejected, the better he'd feel in the long run.

But first things first. He'd have to find out what he'd do for Tohru this evening to set the atmosphere. He couldn't serenade; not that he wanted too since he hated to sing. He couldn't make music. He couldn't talk romantically, and he knew if he tried, it would only sound corny and wrong. But he was somewhat of a cook.

That was it! He could make Tohru an acceptable dinner to calm things down and then tell her the news. If he couldn't tell her afterwards, which he probably couldn't, he'd bring her into his room. Maybe the sight of his bed would remind him of what he wanted to say. Of course, he knew she'd say no. She was much too moral for something so . . . primeval. He wouldn't be hurt if he already knew her reply. In fact, that's what he would tell himself ALL afternoon.

"Oy, Shigure," Kyou said. Shigure peeked his head out of his office.

"Mmm, yes?" replied Shigure.

"I need ya to do me a favor."

"And WHY should I do that for you . . ."

"BECAUSE!! (sigh) . . . It's . . . It's for Tohru."

"I see. So you came for advice? I KNEW this day would come!"

"No, I'd never ask YOU for advice. I just want you to let Yuki know that I need the dining room alone tonight. I'm making Tohru d-dinner."

"But . . . what about me?"

"Eat out."

"Aww . . . fine, but you have to tell Yuki yourself!"

"But that's not fair, dammit! I hate him!!"

"Then I guess I'll stay home-"

"FINE!! I'LL ASK HIM!!"

Kyou stormed up the stairs. He knocked on Yuki's door, and then put on his best non-caring face.

"What?" asked Yuki, who had a book in his hand.

Kyou fought the urge to shout and spoke.

"Could you and S-Shigure . . . eat out today?"

"Why?"

"Because . . . I just need the dining room."

"That's rather selfish, don't you think?"

"No! Argh . . . I'mmakingTohrudinner."

"What was that?"

"I'm. Making. Tohru. DINNER."

" . . . . See, that was easier to say, now wasn't it? . . . Okay, just don't wreck the place. When do you need it?"

"Uh, now."

"Now? This better by good . . ."

Yuki closed his book. He faced Kyou one last time before going downstairs.

"I'm only doing this for Ms. Honda."

"Yeah, I hope so," scowled Kyou. "It would be queer if it wasn't. Not that you aren't queer already."

Yuki sighed and went downstairs. He went into Shigure's office and dragged him out by his ear.

"Ow! Ow! Yuki . . . wait . . . please . . . my computer."

"It'll be there when we come back. Come on, we're eating out."

"But . . . but . . . I wanna see Kyon-Kyou make a move! You're no fun Yuki . . . you're such a party-pooper."

"Well, this party-pooper doesn't want to stick around when Kyou confesses."

"Oh, hold on! I almost forgot something."

Shigure ran into his office to grab something and then ran upstairs to Kyou. He handed him a small purple package that said the word "Trojan – Regular Sized" on it. Shigure winked and went to go join Yuki.

Kyou's face turned five shades of red. He was too embarrassed to say anything to that. Instead, he tucked the condom into his pocket, hoping deep inside that he'd get to use it one day. Kyou shook his head, trying to send the sudden thought away.

_"What am I THINKING?!"_ he thought to himself. _"There's no way I should have this! I'm never going to use it! There's just no way!! . . . . . WHY AM I EVEN HOLDING ON TO IT?!"_

Kyou sighed and left it in his pocket, hoping that he'd just forget about it. For now, he had other things to do. He carried down his supplies and laid them out on the dining room table. He'd deal with that later. For now, he'd work on making the food. Kyou went into the kitchen and searched the fridge.

"Dammit," he said to himself. "There's nothing in here to use. I don't even know what she wants."

Then, he remembered something. About two years ago, Tohru had gotten that call from her grandfather, telling her she could come home. She brought books with her when she went over there. Maybe she still had them.

Kyou closed the fridge door and went up to Tohru's room. He searched her bookshelf desperately, eventually finding her old home recipe cook book.

He found an easy looking recipe to use that was bookmarked by Tohru herself. It looked like one she hadn't tried yet, and it looked rather tasty. It was a type of beef stew, with Italian sausage and a side of fried shrimp and seasoned vegetables; mostly coated in basil and lemon spice.

Kyou took the book with him and walked to the nearest grocery store. He found all the ingredients, paid for them, and went back home to prepare the dish. After a while, he let all the items cook in the broth of the soup. In the meantime, he set up the table with orange and yellow flowers as a center piece, which he found in the cupboard from last year's Golden Week celebration. The bowls were a dull tan and the table cloth was a clean, bright white.

Kyou added two, long, yellow candles and lit them with a flame. Everything was almost done and Tohru was due home soon. Kyou mentally checked everything he had laid out. The table was dressed, the soup was done, and he was somewhat worthy in presentation. He hoped that his best pair of jeans and nicest shirt were enough. He didn't have any suits or bow ties to impress Tohru with.

Kyou wasn't big on the decorations, but he was rather surprised on how he did for an afternoon's work. Now all he had left to be sure of was what he had to confess tonight. Suddenly, he heard the front door open. His knees began to shake and his shirt collar got increasingly tight. He did the best he could to bring himself together and wobbled on over to the front door.

Kyou greeted Tohru in the dim lit hallway.

"H-Hey," he stuttered, pleasantly. Tohru smiled and gave him a hug. She looked confused for a moment and sniffed the air.

"Are . . . are you wearing . . . cologne?"

"Uhh . . ." stumbled Kyou. "Y-Yeah . . ."

" . . . . A-And is something cooking?"

"Yeah. Hey, I want ya to see something. But you have to close your eyes first."

"O-Okay."

As Tohru closed her eyes, Kyou blushed shamefully at his attempt at being romantic. He lightly held her hand, leading her to the dining room.

"Okay, open them," he added. Tohru opened her eyes and beamed.

"Wow Kyou! You did all of this?"

"Yeah. This is only part of it. Sit down for a sec."

Tohru sat at the candle lit table, feeling really useless.

"D-Do you need help with anything? The food, perhaps?"

"Nope," Kyou replied, rolling his eyes. "Just stay put. I'll take care of it."

"But . . ."

"Look, I'm treating YOU. So stay put."

Kyou left the kitchen and came back with a warm, fragrant pot of stew. Tohru blushed happily and let Kyou serve her some. She took a bite and Kyou waited nervously.

"How is it?" Kyou asked curiously, looking away with doubt.

"It's delicious!" cried Tohru, her face full of delight. She took a couple more bites. "This is really good! You cook very well, Kyou!"

Kyou shrugged shyly and ate some of his soup.

During the rest of dinner, they shared several conversations and laughed. Kyou did his best to keep the mood light and merry, though he could see that he wasn't the only one feeling nervous. Tohru was very happy, as he could see, but she seemed . . . restless. But either way, she happily talked on with him until way after dinner. Later than expected, they quickly cleaned off their plates and headed upstairs.

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Kyou closed his bedroom door while Tohru sat on his futon nearby. Kyou gulped and avoided her eyes. He sat down beside her and looked to the floor.

"So," started Tohru, "a-are we going to talk now?"

"Y-Yeah," said Kyou, shifting uncomfortably. Tohru snuggled in beside him and focused her full attention on him.

"Well," began Kyou, "this . . . this isn't easy for me to say, but it's important for you to know. Because, I know that eventually, you'll find out . . . s-somehow . . ."

"Why are you upset?" asked Tohru, suddenly. "You looked rather worried . . ."

"It's not that I'm upset. I'm . . . I'm . . . I'm . . . s-scared . . ."

Kyou hid his frightened face in his hands and sighed. He couldn't believe his eyes were watering. Of all times, it had to be NOW. He slyly wiped his eyes and collected his voice.

"Well, not . . . not really scared, I just . . . I don't know. I just . . . I want to say that . . ."

Kyou sighed and took Tohru's hand in his.

"Tohru, you know that I'd never hurt you, right?"

"Y-Yes," Tohru said, cautiously. "But why do you look so sad?"

"I'm not sad, I'm . . . I'm longing for . . . for something."

"What is it?"

"You'd . . . you have to understand that I'm a guy and sometimes . . . well, when I lo- . . . l-love someone, I have a certain . . . w-want. To be close to the one I'm with. M-Much closer than usual."

" . . . Kyou?"

"Tohru . . . m-m-may I have you t-tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"I . . . I-I . . . I want to . . . to . . . HAVE you. I want to have . . . to have l-love with you . . . I-I want . . . t-to have . . . _s-sex_."

Tohru's eyes widened, but Kyou couldn't see because he was hiding his face in his shaking hands. Tohru's corners of her mouth started to involuntarily move upward, causing her to make an confusing smile. How could this be true? How could Kyou possibly want the same thing as her?

She thought she was just going through a disgusting, dirty stage in her life. The constant dreams, the hot flashes at night, and the constant tingling sensation she got whenever she thought this way. It was all good to be true. Too good. She felt so ashamed and embarrassed by the fact she too wanted to commit this forbidden act. Even Kyou looked so much more pure than her. It was all too much to take in after dinner.

Tohru got up and started to back away from Kyou slowly. Kyou lost his cool and broke down quickly, his voice whimpering.

"Y-YOU DON'T HAVE TO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO! Just . . . please . . . d-don't be scared. Please don't be angry . . . please . . . I-I just thought I'd . . . I'd let you know . . ."

Kyou felt his palms and knees sweating greatly as he prepared for the worst. How could he act this way?! He knew ALL along that she would never say yes. It was her nature! And yet, here he was, standing before her, his legs shaking with difficulty, his eyes threatening to let the tears overflow, and the fear that his relationship with Tohru was over. How could he let this happen?

Kyou sat back down on his futon, and hung his head low in defeat. Tohru came back to his side and sat down after seeing him react so fearfully. Maybe he really did want this. Maybe he was just scared after all. Why didn't she see it? Boy had she been selfish. The only reason he hid it so long was because he was afraid to hurt her.

Tohru twiddled her fingers and blushed, trying to think of what to say. How would she accept? What words could she use without feeling like a pervert? The whole come-hither look would only make it worse, and all she could think of was dirty replies that she had never thought of before. She was so surprised that Kyou felt the same way, but she was so terrified! Kyou looked just as bad. She had to say, something.

"Kyou," she started, "I . . . I . . . don't know what to say. But inside of me is saying that . . . t-this is right. But I don't know how to . . . to . . ."

Tohru's eyes brimmed with liquid and soon, it overflowed onto her burning cheeks. She sobbed loudly, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Kyou, feeling pretty rotten with himself, held her in his arms and tried to calm her down silently. After her sobbing stopped, she began to talk.

"I . . . I want to do it . . . w-with you. But . . . will . . . w-will it hurt?"

" . . . It might," said Kyou, wiping her eye with his hand. "I wouldn't know because I've never done it before."  
"I don't know, Kyou. It . . . It could be really risky . . ."

"I . . . I have a condom . . . y-you know, for protection. It'll keep you from getting pregnant."

"Um . . . um . . . I want to, but . . . I'm so scared . . . I-"

"It's your choice. Don't say yes because ya feel like ya have to. Just remember that . . . that . . . you know . . . I c-care about you either way. That'll never change. I'm sorry I made you cry. I didn't want you to be uncomfortable. I just want you to know that . . . that . . . I-I'm scared too. If you do want to do it, you know . . . I . . . I wont hurt you. I'll be gentle . . ."

"It's alright. I . . . I can see why it took you so long to talk to me."

"Don't rush your answer. Take as long as you need to."

" . . . . . . . . . A-Actually, I . . . I WANT to do it. T-Tonight."

"T-Tonight?!"

"Y-Yes, tonight."

Tohru leaned onto Kyou's front side, burrowing her face into his chest. She laid a hand on his arm and ran her hand down to his palm. She held it tightly, making Kyou blush heavily.

"I . . ." she continued. "I want you . . . Kyou. I want you to . . . to be one with me . . . . . . b-because I . . . I . . . because I lo- . . . ."

Kyou smiled tenderly and caressed the side of her face.

"I love you too . . ."

Kyou kissed Tohru lightly on the lips shyly, and then started to get bolder. He kissed her harder, thrusting his tongue in gently and wiping the tears from Tohru's face. But when he opened his eyes, he saw that it wasn't tears. It was sweat.

Tohru's skin had heated so much that she started to perspire. From her forehead to her chin, she was slightly dripping from her nervousness. Across her cheeks, her skin was as red as sunburn.

Kyou closed his eye and laid his forehead on her's, kissing the tip of her nose. Tohru embraced his hand within her's and squeezed it tight, sighing softly.

"I . . . I," she cooed, "I . . . I think I'm ready . . ."

She rubbed her cheek against Kyou's and waited. He smiled and kissed the top of her lip. Curiously, he ran his hand gently on her inner thigh, as if to test the waters. She shivered but didn't pull back.

Kyou got up and walked over to the window and opened the binds, letting the moonlight shine all the way through. He then walked over to his bedroom's light switch and turned it off, seeing only the soft, blue-lit silhouette of Tohru, who was lying patiently on the bed below. Kyou, who felt throbbing sensations in places other than his heart, gulped and softly made his way over to the silent girl in heat.

**Oh my . . . . . Should I write the lemon or not? I can't decide!! One: I've never done one before. Two: It'll probably suck. Three: I feel so ASHAMED!! Ha ha, oh well. We'll see. Maybe if I get some feedback from you guys, maybe you can tell if you want the lemon scene or not. I don't want to offend anyone reading this story. Then again it IS rated M . . . . . Anyway, hoped you liked this chapter!! I sure did! - dragondustbubblez**


	11. Reason to Purr

Chapter 11 - Reason to Purr (uncensored)

**A/N: FINALLY! I put it up. :) Here's the lemon version of this story. Sorry it took so dang long. I decided to re-write the whole scene, because my original copy sounded so bad! lol But yeah, um... please don't flame me too bad. This is my first lemon and I have a lot to learn, haha. And I just wanted to say, I'm glad most of my readers have stuck with the story despite its lack of a lemon. For those of you that got upset when finding the lemon page "empty", well, I'm sorry, but that's how it was. No need to get all touchy, kay? But here it is now, in all its . . . . glory? **

**PS: For those who do NOT want to read it, please skip down the page until you see bold underlined letters. That is your cue to start reading safely. **

**Enjoy ;)**

Kyou's body gave off a most unnatural heat, as if it were looming out of his core in shock waves. Every time one hit Tohru, her pores let loose a wave of perspiration. And at last, the shyness had gone away, and now his heavy, flushed body was on top of her. All that was left covering him were his boxers.

Kyou put his forehead to Tohru's, and closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath, stealing his lover's scent and keeping it all for himself. If it was possible to smell excitement as one could smell fear, this was the only time he ever could. It was an assortment of odors, non-describable to the common man. And Tohru's revealed body was engrossed in it.

She looked absolutely stunning. Even with the lights off, the moonlight lit up her soft skin, covering it in an array of lavender and blue. Her hair seemed to gleam and dance everytime she budged. The more she breathed in and out, and the more the inhaled air made her breasts come closer to him, the more inviting she looked. He wanted to feel her all over his body; he wanted her to engulf him.

Tohru wrapped her arms around Kyou's back as he lay on top of her. She wrapped her legs around his and pushed her torso onto him. She felt something stiff push against her. Immediately, her face blushed a small shade of pink; not out of embarrassment, but out of sheer pleasure.

Their mouths touched, as if it were the first time once again. Slowly, they did their dance, and their tongues waltzed to the beat. Kyou's hot breath patted her cheek as he breached the surface for air, and dug in again to drown in her kiss. His hands were free to wander around her. She no longer felt the need to flinch or scurry away under his tight lock. It was almost as if his hands were her own.

Kyou grunted as his boxers became too much of a barrier for him.

"Are you okay?" Tohru whispered, her breath a little short. When he didn't answer, she looked to see him reluctantly picking at his underwear. " . . . Are you going to take it off?"

Kyou looked at her, but his voice was too stunted for him to answer. It was almost as if he could no longer talk from the shock of what he had just been through so far. Ironically, they had only begun. He was afraid of what would happen to him once they started to enter one another.

Assuming he was embarrassed about showing himself, Tohru smiled and put a hand on his cheek.

"It's okay," she said in a silvery voice. "You don't have to hide anymore."

Feeling extraordinarily confident, Tohru reached for Kyou's boxers and slipped a finger underneath the rim. Slowly, she began to pull them down, but still looked for a sign in Kyou's eyes that would tell her to stop. She stopped for a moment, feeling the fear return to her as the cloth hung on for dear life on Kyou's endowment. With a determined face, she pulled it down in one swoop and let go.

It was staring her in the face. As if the wind had been taken out of her, she shivered and hunched up. Her face grew hot and she forced her eyes looked elsewhere.

Once he caught his breath, Kyou started to chuckle. He sat on his rear when Tohru did the same. She kept her legs clamped shut, but he kept his wide open, with his pride pointing at her. He kicked away the boxers that hung on his ankles and came closer to his girl.

"Hey," he said, in a compassionate tone. "Does it bother you? Hmm?"

He placed his hands on her knees and massaged them. Tohru's heart went haywire. A strange feeling hit her down below, and a small flow of liquid squirted between her thighs.

"Ah!" she cried, half in surprise and half in shame. "I-I . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"Tohru, it's okay! . . . It's okay," Kyou said. He put his forehead to hers again, placed a hand on the back of her head, and laughed bitterly. "Y-You're more nervous than I am . . ."

He sat back down and waited for her to collect herself. Grinning, he ran a hand through his hair.

" . . . Are ya . . . you know . . . curious?"

"Huh?" Tohru asked. She looked at him from top to bottom, and then gave a sheepish smile. "I . . . I guess so."

"Then touch me," Kyou said bluntly as he got close to her again. He sat "Indian" style and relaxed. His manhood was still up in the air.

Tohru hesitated at first, but then cupped a hand around Kyou's stalk. It was firm and warm to the touch. When she felt more confident, she went lower to explore the scrotum. Kyou blew out a long drawn breath and his face grew bright red. His manhood budged a bit and rose even higher. A minute later, his forehead was covered in sweat.

He was ready. He only hoped that she was too.

Tohru's expedition was interrupted when Kyou, once again, reached for her lips. Suddenly, she forgot about her little adventure and settled back down on the futon they both sat on. She stopped for a breath, and put her hand on his chest.

"Kyou, wait-" she gasped. Kyou sighed, but kept a smile.

"Yes?" he asked, trying not to sound impatient. His brow furrowed as the pressure in his groin began to bother him.

"I'm sorry but . . . the condom."

"Oh!"

Kyou reached over on his left and picked up the condom that Shigure had given him. With jittery fingers, he began to open it, but found himself too nervous to open it correctly.

"I'll do it," Tohru said, humor displayed on her heated face. She tore open the package and gingerly held the condom. "I hope I'm doing this right."

She placed it over Kyou's pride, and gently pulled it down the throbbing stalk. Kyou wasn't sure how he felt about the feeling of it, but it didn't matter much now. Quickly, he licked his bottom lip and placed himself over Tohru. Her legs were still clamped shut.

"Relax," he whispered while his lips touched her right ear. "We can take it nice and slow . . ."

His voice was so soft and sweet, that she couldn't help but to relax her body. It told her that everything would be okay.

" . . . . You ready?" Kyou asked. He looked straight into her emotional, turquoise eyes.

Tohru nodded and took in a deep breath. She gripped his arms and prepared for what was to come.

Kyou arched his body and slowly made his way up the slippery chamber. Tohru's muscles clenched, and she flinched as she felt him inside her. Her eyes watered from the pain, and her teeth gritted against each other. She resorted to toughly gripping Kyou's arms as if they were handle bars. The farther up he went, the more she wanted to cry out. When it became too much, she made a groan of pleasure and distress.

To him, it was like moving in a tight and bumpy tunnel that was hesitant to let you in. The more she flinched, the farther back he was being pushed out. It frustrated him beyond belief.

Kyou gathered stamina and roughly thrust his pelvis. Upon impact, Tohru dug her fingers in to his arms and failed to hold back her scream. Tears ran down her face as she managed to swallow a sob.

He opened his eyes and immediately felt the guilt tear at his heart.

"D-Did I hurt you?" he asked, his voice full of worry. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry . . . . Are . . . Are you alright?"

Tohru looked him in the eyes and nodded, but her breathing had not changed. Kyou lowered his voice.

" . . . . Do you wanna stop?"

She shook her head. When her breathing got back to normal, she gave a tired smile.

"I . . . can feel you inside me," she said with a small, halfhearted chuckle. She lay her head back and her face grew red again. " . . . I-It feels good . . ."

Taking that as a green light, Kyou sighed with relief and smiled mischievously.

"It feels good, does it?" he growled into her neck. Tohru giggled and squirmed around as Kyou nipped little bits of her neck. Tohru stretched her neck to reach his ear, and nibbled on the lobe. Kyou clenched his teeth as he smiled ear to ear, feeling tickled from the sensation. To get revenge, he then nibbled on the nape of her neck and nibbled all the way down to the corners of her breasts. They both calmed down when he made it back up to her lips.

Tohru had never seen Kyou's eyes so soft before. It was as if they were on fire, but in a vial of liquid. Like magma . . . the liquid fire . . .

And his expression was so tender. It made her want to cry.

She reached for his lips one more time before letting him take over. As their tongues did another dance, their bodies began to move in unison. With every gentle thrust, her body welcomed it with open arms. Kyou's manhood was on the right spot, and it made her force her head back in ecstasy. Kyou's pressure grew and he could no longer find the energy to kiss her. He lay his head on her shoulder and continued to move inside her. Tohru's mouth hung open as every movement brought her closer and closer to nirvana.

Both of them sat up and gripped each other in a tight embrace. Their legs wrapped around each others' lower backs, and they were locked chest to chest. Tohru's chin rested on Kyou's hot and slippery shoulder, her mouth still hanging open from the intense feeling. Kyou's face dug into Tohru's neck.

He wanted to bite something. He needed to bite something. The pressure was building up so quickly, he almost bit down on Tohru, but refrained from doing so. His fingers clawed on her back, as if he were hanging from a steep cliff. He prayed that she would not let him fall.

Almost as if he were in a trance, Kyou clenched his muscles and kept his eyes tightly closed. His body went rigid as his groin went rock hard. Tohru gave out a loud, orgasmic moan as she climaxed on her own. Moments after that, Kyou gave out a booming moan of his own, ejaculated into the condom, and went limp all over. Both of the tired lovers fell on either side of each other, and lay still on the soiled futon.

Tohru wanted to just lay there and keep him in her, but she knew he needed to separate from her groin. As if it were a sorrowful parting, she allowed Kyou to leave her. With weak hands, Kyou removed the wet condom and tossed it on the floor.

He lay on his side to face her. Tohru was smiling with content, but she looked so tired. Kyou was planning to part this evening with a few words, but he figured it was best saved for another time. Instead, he got close to her and crossed his fingers with hers, not caring that either of them were sweaty and smelly.

Tohru felt him kiss her forehead and closed her eyes with satisfaction.

"I love you," she whispered before falling asleep.

Thankful that she wasn't able to see him as she slept, Kyou allowed his eyes to become heavy with tears.

"I love you even more."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

In the distance, the condom, which had been roughly thrown aside, sat there in the moonlight, dripping from the tip . . .

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

**(For those of you know didn't want to read the lemon, it's safe now. :P)**

Kyou blinked as the sun shined through the window. He looked to his side to see a bed-headed Tohru sleeping peacefully; without clothes on, as a nice addition. She breathed slowly in and out, a bit of the blush on her face from last night remaining.

Kyou, feeling strangely parental-like, took the stray hairs strands and brushed them out of Tohru's face. He smiled with a sweet smirk as she felt his slight presence. Leaning over, he planted a kiss on her forehead and got up from the futon. Kyou looked in his closet and found some clean boxers, jeans, and a random collared shirt. He took them with him into the bathroom and bathed. After dressing, he came downstairs warily to go into the kitchen. He tried his best to hide the guilty look on his face.

Being in the extremely good mood that he was in, he decided to do something different for a change; like make Tohru breakfast in bed. It was worth a shot, and it was for her anyway, since she was such a good sport last night.

Now, he had never cooked breakfast before, but a couple of Tohru's book recipes were already in the kitchen, so he decided to use them. And hopefully, Shigure was asleep. If he found him cooking pancakes and eggs, he'd never live it down.

Since he decided to do a western dish, he knew that it would provide him and Tohru with some variety.

Much to Kyou's dismay, Shigure lazily and tiredly stumbled into the kitchen, being led by the delicious aroma of syrup and batter. Kyou tried to look extremely interested in his cooking.

"G-G-Good morning," Shigure yawned. "You're up early as usual. But, may I ask, why are YOU cooking?"

"Well, I just wanted to cook today . . ." Kyou replied nonchalantly. "Is there a problem with that?"

Shigure grinned suspiciously.

"Nope."

He got closer to Kyou, making him some-what intimidated.

"That's funny . . . I figured you'd be yelling at me by now," questioned Shigure. "Why the good attitude all of a sudden?"

" . . . I had a good rest last night . . ."

"I see . . . . . . So . . . how was last night's dinner?"

Kyou tensed up, but not enough for Shigure to notice.

"It . . . it was good."

"You guys do anything else?"

"N-No."

"Really? Nothing else?"

"Nuh uh."

" . . . . Are you SUUUURRRREEE?"

"Dammit, Shigure, yes."

"I could've sworn I heard uh . . . 'thumping' noises from upstairs . . . ."

"You're imagining things, pervert."

"Uh huh . . . . . . . Kyou, just admit it. You and Tohru did the nasty. :)"

"W-What? No way in HELL! Besides, what proof do you have?"

"Well, when Yuki was going to bed, claimed to me that he heard moaning coming from YOUR room. He was rather pale in the face when he told me this. Heh heh, poor guy, hope he slept okay . . ."

"NO."

"Just admit it, Kyon. You are no longer a virgin!"

" . . . . . . ."

"AD-MMMMMMMIIIIIITTTT IIIIIITTTTT . . . ."

"FINE! WE DID IT, OKAY?"

Shigure giggled and recited the words "I knew it!" over and over again in song. Yuki came into the kitchen.

"Shigure," he started, "you woke me up with your annoying shouting," he said, his eyes looking deadly. "What is it this time?" Shigure answered before Kyou could even protest.

"Kyon-Kyon and my sweet little flower had SEX last night!"

" . . . . Shigure, please, not now . . ."

"But I'm serious! Kyou told me so!"

"ONLY 'CAUSE YA FORCED ME TO, YOU SICK BASTARD!" yelled Kyou, his face glowing red. "IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS!"

Yuki's face turned several shades of red and his expression was a mixture of shock and disgust. Hearing this news was just as bad as walking in on his mother when she was . . .

His stomach gurgled and sent nausea shooting up his throat.

"Yuki, you alright?" asked Shigure. "You look kind of strange."

Yuki clutched is stomach and shivered a little.

"I . . . I . . . I have to go," he stuttered. He trotted away to the outside toilet, holding his mouth with his hand. The pictures of Kyou onto of Tohru; they were so clear! Too clear! It was sickening. He knew this was going to happen, he just KNEW. And yet, the moment he received the news, he immediately grew ill at the image. It was literally like hearing that your mother had sex with some stranger that you really disliked. It turned his stomach so much; he needed to hang over the toilet for a couple minutes.

"Well," started Shigure. "I'll leave you to your cooking. Hmhm . . . bye!"

Kyou scowled, his good mood dwindling slightly. But the thought of going back upstairs calmed him down by much. He finished up the food and put it on a large tray.

He carefully carried it all upstairs and went inside his room. Tohru was still asleep, much to his surprise.

"_Geez,"_ thought Kyou. "_I figured she'd be up by now. She must be really tired . . ."_

Kyou couldn't help but to be proud of himself for a moment. Tohru oversleeping was an outcome from a job well done. He just hoped that he didn't exhaust her too much. He put the food down by the futon, and sat by Tohru.

"Wake up," he said in her ear.

Tohru turned around under the sheets and opened her eyes slowly. She faced Kyou and smiled.

"Good morning, Kyou," she said peacefully. She sat up, only to notice that she was still naked. She "eeped" and covered her chest in her arms. Kyou chuckled.

"You dingbat," he said teasingly, bonking his fist lightly on her head. "You don't have ta hide in front of me."

Tohru shyly put down her arms and blushed in shame. Kyou leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Don't worry . . . you look beautiful."

Tohru positively beamed.

"Oh!" said Kyou, remembering. "I made us some breakfast."

"Oh Kyou!" cried Tohru. "This is wonderful! You made all of this yourself?"

"Yep."

They pulled up the covers onto their laps and put the tray onto it. While eating, Kyou told Tohru about what happened this morning.

"How did Yuki take the news?" she asked.

"He ran into the bathroom to puke," replied Kyou. Tohru gasped. Was Yuki really that upset? What would he think of her now?

"Is . . . is he mad at me?" she asked.

"I doubt it," said Kyou. "He's madder at me, actually. Don't worry about it. He's just a pansy."

Tohru didn't answer back. She continued to eat, but without as much hunger. Kyou decided to change the subject.

"So . . . . . h-how was last night for you?"

"Oh, it was incredible!" claimed Tohru, with awe in her eyes. "I've . . . I've never felt like that before. It was amazing . . ."

"I didn't hurt you . . . did I?"

"Oh, no! It did hurt at first, but I didn't really mind actually. You were wonderful, Kyou! It's just . . ."

"What?"

"I . . . I can't believe I'm not a v-virgin anymore . . ."

"Yeah. It's . . . it's a weird feeling . . ."

"But . . . I-I think I'd like to do that again someday, if that's okay . . ."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Kyou smiled and nodded in agreement. After they both finished breakfast, they carried the dishes down to the kitchen and washed them together.

Tohru caught Yuki's eye several times that day, afraid to talk to him. There wasn't a single time that Yuki could look at her without blushing furiously.


	12. Alert

**Okay, some of you are going to hate me for this chapter, BUT I had planned it all along, so don't worry; I have it all under control! I'm not just putting this in randomly, so PLEASE don't flame me! I did name this story the name it has for a reason . . . :)**

**Enjoy the chapter and stay tuned.**

Chapter 12 – Alert

Tohru paced around her room, playing with her hair. She had gained the nervous habit of biting her nails over a small period of time. She checked her marked, puppy calendar once more, just to make sure. She had skipped her deadline by at least two weeks already and she was getting worried.

Suddenly, someone knocked on her door. Tohru straightened herself up.

"Come in!" she called. Kyou opened the door quickly.

"Hey Tohru," he said, impatiently, "you ready to go or not?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

Tohru grabbed her coat and mittens quickly. She went out of her room and followed Kyou down the stairs, trying to clear her mind of her evident worries. They put their shoes on and headed on over to the middle of town.

The night air was crisp and cool, and the orange and red leaves were falling with the steady wind. Tohru sighed with a shivered, warm breath. Kyou heard and looked over at her immediately.

"You okay?" asked Kyou. "You seem kind of restless."

"Oh, no I'm fine," said Tohru, trying to pull herself together. She wasn't going to ruin this evening by being shaky and paranoid. But she still couldn't get the questions out of her head.

"K-Kyou?" she stuttered. Kyou waited quietly for her question, pulling his jacket closer to shut out the cold. "Um . . . . c-can I ask you something . . . about that night . . ."

" . . . . Yeah," he replied suspiciously.

Tohru lowered her voice, in fear of someone else hearing her.

" . . . . About the condom . . . a-are you sure that it was entirely safe?"

Kyou stayed silent for a minute and considered the thought. He grew slightly pale.

"Why'd you ask?" he wondered warily.

" . . . . Oh! N-No reason. It's just . . . I thought I saw a rip in the condom we used . . ."

"There was a rip?"

" . . . Well, I don't know for sure. Guess it's kind of paranoid of me to wonder about that. Sorry I worried you."

Kyou smiled.

"Don't worry. I think we're safe. Besides, Shigure gave me the condom so hopefully he was smart enough to give me a good one."

"Heh heh . . . . y-yeah."

Kyou gulped internally and put the conversation to rest.

"So . . . is Yuki still not talking to you?"

"No, we worked that out," said Tohru, thankful that Kyou changed the subject. "He's okay with us having intercourse and all; he was just shocked. In fact, he's been really careful around me lately. I guess he just really wants to help me become braver about this new experience. But . . . he didn't say anything about you though. I hope he's not mad at you."

"He's always mad at me. Might as well get used to it."

" . . . So, where are we going for dinner?"

"Miyusaki's Seafood House."

"But . . . but it's so expensive! Oh Kyou, you don't have to take me there!"

"Don't worry about it. I'm paying for it."

" . . . . Oh, I don't know what to say . . . t-thank you Kyou."

"Sure."

Kyou had reserved seats the day before, and, once they arrived, they were seated in his requested spot; right by the long, colorful fish tank that surrounded only a handful of tables. Getting this seat was like a royal treatment.

Tohru looked positively radiant and curiously watched the active fish. Kyou sat beside her and handed her a menu. The waiter came around shortly.

"May I get you some drinks for a starter?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," replied Kyou, lamely, not used to ordering at fancy restaurants. "I'll have a root beer and she'll have a . . ."

"An iced tea, please," Tohru finished politely.

The waiter went off to get the drinks. Kyou scooted closer to Tohru on the cushioned, connected seats. He put an arm around her and smiled gently.

"Do ya like it here?" he asked.

"Yes! I do!" Tohru replied happily. "Especially the fish!"

"_That's why I got this table . . ."_ thought Kyou, keeping a hidden laugh to himself.

Once they got their drinks, they ordered their food as well. Kyou ordered grilled salmon with miso soup and Tohru ordered a pot sticker plate with fried rice.

"Hey Tohru," started Kyou, putting one hand on hers. "Now that we're closer, I was wondering if we could, you know . . . go places together . . . alone."

Tohru grinned and flushed slightly. She nodded and imagined the places they'd go.

"Where would you like to go, Kyou?" she asked in consideration.

Kyou pouted.

"Anywhere that doesn't have huge amounts of water."

Tohru giggled and continued on.

"I've . . . . I've always wanted to go to America one day."

"What for?" asked Kyou.

Tohru ducked her head and blushed deeper.

"D-Disneyland."

Kyou laughed loudly, ignoring the fact that she was embarrassed.

"Okay, Disneyland it is," he replied, rolling his eyes.

"But um . . ." started Tohru, "are the rides really . . . scary?"

"I don't think so . . . I heard that they're pretty mild."

The food came sooner than expected. Kyou began to eat, while Tohru stared at her plate. It was right when she pick up her fork, she smelled the flavored vapor steaming from her dish. She instantly felt nauseous. She shook the feeling, remembering that Kyou bought this for her with his own money, and took a bite. After the tenth bite, she couldn't take in another without feeling the bile rise in her throat.

"You okay?" asked Kyou, noticing the expression on her face. "You look lethargic."

"I'm fine," Tohru reassured with an attempted smile. She gulped involuntarily and her stomach gurgled. After trying to eat tiny, easy bites, for the sake of not wasting Kyou's money, her nausea got much worse. She couldn't stand it any longer.

"I'll . . . I'll be right back," she claimed, her voice rushed. She got up and headed to the bathroom, almost running.

Kyou scratched his head.

"_Well, if you have to go, you have to go,"_ he thought. But then again, she looked a little green in the face. Maybe she wasn't going to use the facilities . . . .

Tohru came back out five minutes later, with a relieved and disgusted face.

"Did . . ." started Kyou as she sat back down, ". . . . Did you just puke?"

Tohru blushed and nodded. She felt so ashamed of herself.

"Is it the food they serve here?" asked Kyou, who was beginning to get worried. "We could go somewhere else to eat . . ."

"No, no, no!" she cried. "You just spent all this money on me. I shouldn't waste it . . . I'll finish my food here!"

"Look, Tohru, it's making you sick. I'll just take you home . . ."

"Oh no! I'm fine! We'll continue . . ."

Kyou saw he wasn't going to win, so he made a deal with her. First of all, they'd leave the restaurant, but then he'd take to get something to settle her stomach. She agreed and claimed that she was craving ice cream. Why she craved this, he didn't know . . .

Tohru slowly lapped up the cream generously while Kyou walked her home. After finishing up the cone, Tohru felt somewhat better. It was strange, but it worked. Her strong craving was fulfilled and her stomach was only slightly upset.

"I'm sorry about this, Kyou," sighed Tohru, looking to the ground. "I really messed up tonight's outing didn't I?"

"S'okay," replied, smiling tenderly. He put his arm around her shoulder as the arrived towards home. He opened up the front door to the house to let her in. Before she even took a step, her eyes went wide and she hiccupped. Covering her mouth, she ran to the outside toilet. Kyou tried to ignore the hurling sounds coming from the small cubical. Tohru came out about eight minutes later.

"Did ya get a stomach bug or something?" Kyou asked. Tohru shrugged and wiped her mouth. She'd have to go to the docter if this didn't stop. Hopefully, it was just your ordinary, occasional stomach virus that passed within two or three days. But that still didn't explain to her why her other _thing_ was missing.

Once Kyou and everyone else were in bed, Tohru talked herself into calling Hatori. She hated to bother him, but she was dreadfully nervous. She needed some advice, so she went to the phone and dialed his number from the Sohma family phone book.

"Hello?" said Hatori's deep voice.

"H-Hi, this is Tohru," she said.

"Oh, hello Ms. Honda. I'd hate to be rude but my shift is over and I'm about to-"

"Please wait! It's . . . it's urgent."

"Ms. Honda?"

" . . . Can I make an appointment with you?"

"A doctor's appointment?"

"Yes. Anytime is good for me."

"Is everything alright?"

"Well . . . n-not really. I'm having symptoms for something and I'm afraid of what I might have. I was wondering if you could . . . h-help me."

Hatori felt a string of pity for the girl on the other end. She sounded so worried . . .

"Come in at 12:30 am tomorrow. I should be free by then."

"Okay. How much money do I bring?"

"None. You won't have to pay anything. If it's really that serious . . ."

"Oh, yes! Yes! Thank you Hatori. You're very kind."

"It's the least I can do. Good night."

Hatori hung up, leaving Tohru alone, clutching the phone to her chest tightly. After a small prayer, she put the phone away and headed upstairs, holding her gut gingerly. Worry filled her heart, keeping her awake all night. She just hoped that tomorrow was promising.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tohru woke up with her hair all over the place. She looked at the alarm clock by her bed. 11:45.

Tohru sprung out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She quickly got ready and went down to the living room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Shigure sitting at the table, reading his newspaper.

Not wanting lie about where she was going, she figured she could sneak by, quietly. Because Shigure was intrigued in his reading, he didn't seem to notice Tohru tip-toeing by. She stepped outside, meeting Kyou by accident.

"Hey Tohru," he said, while practicing his punches. "You sure woke up late. What's been with you lately?"

"Oh, nothing," lied Tohru, feeling guilty. "I'm . . . I'm just going to go for a walk around."

"Kay. Hey, are you feeling better?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine . . ."

"You sure aren't good at showing it."

" . . . . . ."

"Look, don't be upset about last night. We can go out some other time."

"It's not that . . ."

"Then what?"

" . . . . I'm going to Hatori's."

" . . . Why?"

"I . . . I need a . . . a check up."

"Oh! For your stomach?"

" . . . . Y-Yes."

"Should I go with you?"

"No! I mean . . . you don't have to. It's nothing serious. I'll let you get back to training."

Tohru walked into the forest behind the house, heading for Hatori's workplace. Kyou watched her leave, feeling a bit suspicious.

Tohru obviously want him to go with her. He would have gone anyway, just to make sure everything was okay, but he had a feeling that now wasn't the time. Until then, he'd wait for her patiently, expecting some sort of news.

Tohru didn't want Kyou to come, not her benefit, but for his. If he were to find out what she was getting tested for, he'd never speak to her again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tohru stood at Hatori's office door, hesitating to knock. What would her visit tell her? What would her fate be? She held her shaky breath and knocked lightly. Hatori opened the door a few seconds faster than she would have liked.

"Ms. Honda," he claimed. "This way . . ."

Tohru stepped into the room and sat on the patients' bed. The protective paper crinkled underneath her weight.

"So," Hatori began. "What's the problem?"

Tohru bit her lip.

"You're going to hate me for this," she sighed. "Y-You all are . . ."

"We haven't even begun, Ms. Honda," said Hatori, holding a toothpick in his mouth while searching for a pen and notepad. He faced Tohru, preparing to take notes.

"Besides," he continued, "there's no reason to hate you if you're sick."

"But I don't think I'm exactly . . . . sick," said Tohru.

"Then why are you here?"

"I was wondering if you'd check me for . . . . . for . . . ."

"For?"

" . . . . . . _Pregnancy_."

The toothpick fell out of Hatori's mouth as it hung open in shock. After giving himself a moment to come back to himself, he adjusted his glasses and cleared his voice.

"And would you care to explain how this happened?" he asked, trying his best to stay calm.

When Tohru didn't answer, he tried another question.

"Who's the father?"

" . . . . . . Kyou," said Tohru.

Hatori almost choked on air in disbelief. He shook his head confusion. He didn't think that kid had it in him, let alone even have the guts to do it.

"So, that means that you and Kyou . . . . ." Hatori asked stupidly. Tohru nodded slowly.

Hatori went to his desk drawers and pulled out what looked like a wide thermometer. Only, it wasn't one . . .

"Take this tester," he started, his brow covered in a light sweat, "go to the restroom down the hall, urinate on the outer strip and wait."

Tohru nodded sadly and took the pregnancy tester. Hatori fidgeted while waiting for Tohru to return. Soon, she came back out, looking confused.

"It . . . it doesn't say anything," she said.

"Shake it a little," said Hatori. Tohru did as she was told. While waiting, Hatori asked more questions.

"Did you and Kyou use any protection?"

"Yes," said Tohru, her arms shaking. The tester was lead in her hands. "We used a condom."

"Did he check it for any rips or tears?"

"I . . . I don't know."

Hatori cursed under his breath and continued.

" . . . . Do you have any symptoms?"

" . . . . I've been feeling really sick to my stomach lately. And . . . . I-I think I skipped my period by two months."

Hatori took the non-responsive tester from Tohru and shook it again. Both of them stared at the blank screen, their hearts pumping with anxiety. Pretty soon, a faint figure appeared onto the screen.

Positive.

Hatori sighed and massaged his forehead, his ears growing hot. Ohhhh boy . . . . .

"I'm . . . I'm sorry," he began. " . . . . It's positive. Your egg's been fertilized."

Tohru covered her mouth in shock and sank to the floor. She laid her back against the bottom of the patients' bed and put her knees up to her chest. Her shoulders shook as she cried softly.

"What do I do?" she sobbed, continuously. "What do I do? What do I do? What . . . . do . . . . I . . ." She broke of into a choke and sobbed louder.

"It's all my fault! It's all my f-fault . . ."

Hatori bent down beside her and laid a hand on her shaking shoulder.

"It's . . ." he began, not being sure of what to say. "It's not your fault. Kyou should have-"

"It's not his fault!" yelled Tohru, tears streaming quickly down her face. "He . . . I think . . . he DID check the condom, it's just . . . He . . . he said he didn't (sniff) find any tears. It's not his fault . . ."

"Do you know where he got the condom from?"

"I think . . . . S-Shigure gave it to him. Kyou told me the other day."

_"Dammit Shigure,"_ thought Hatori, fuming._ "Kyou should have known better than to take something like that from him. It was probably sitting in his desk drawer, since five years ago, collecting dust!"_

Tohru wiped her eyes and sniffed.

"What do I do, Hatori?" she asked faintly.

" . . . You'll need all the support you can get. I'll go ahead and alert the rest of the Sohmas. They should be quick to aid you, since they're fond of you. Kyou, I'm not so sure . . ."

"Kyou . . . Yuki . . . Shigure . . . . . . How do I . . ."

"Tell them immediately. It's best that they know. You'll all need to prepare for the newborn."

Tohru nodded sadly.

"Is there anything else I can do?" she asked.

" . . . . . . There is another option," said Hatori, his face as hard as stone. He hated saying this word. He'd seen way too much of it. "An . . . . A-Abortion."

Tohru gasped.

"No. No, I . . . . I can't do that. It doesn't feel right . . ."

"Then you will bear the child. Once the baby is born, we can help you find a way to handle the situation. I'm short of time so I'll have to ask you to leave for today. You know where to find me if you have any questions."

Tohru took her coat and headed out, thanking Hatori for his time. Feeling pretty rotten with himself, Hatori decided to give her a sympathetic hug, (a short one), and gave her an attempting smile. If only he could tell her that things would be okay. But he wasn't that kind of person. He wasn't a liar . . .

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tohru walked home, sucking in her tears and forcing herself to be brave. She'd have to tell everyone the news without fussing. She wanted them to know that she could be responsible. That she wasn't weak . . .

She came through the front door slowly, hoping that everyone was away so that she had time to figure out how to give it to them. But, to her misfortune, they were all downstairs, waiting anxiously for her to return. Tohru guessed that they were worried about her.

"Ms. Honda!" called Yuki as he walked over to her. Kyou and Shigure followed behind him. "I heard that you went to Hatori's. Is everything okay?"

"I'm . . . . I'm alright," she said weakly, trying to clear her voice.

"Would ya stop lying?" scolded Kyou. "It's obvious that you're not FINE. Just tell us the truth, dammit."

Tohru shuddered.

"What did you REALLY get checked for, huh?" Kyou asked, trying to calm down.

"Umm . . . umm . . ." stuttered Tohru.

All three boys listened and waited impatiently. Tohru couldn't bring out the words. She'd have to have them guess somehow.

"K-Kyou? . . . . . . . There's something important y-you should know . . . . about that night . . . . . Something's wrong . . ."

"What are you talking about?" Kyou asked.

" . . . . . . I-I made a mistake . . . . I'm . . . I'm so sorry . . . . . . I'm . . . I'm . . ."

"Just spit it out already."

It took all of Tohru's strength to hold in the overflowing tears. She refused to look Kyou in the face as she said those two life changing words. All the color in his face drained away and Yuki's eyes grew dangerously cold.

"I'm pregnant."

--

**Uh oh, this is bound to complicate things a bit. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you were hoping this wasn't going to happen, I hope you aren't too disappointed, but THIS IS THE POINT OF THE STORY. So yeah . . . please review as usual.**

**Thanks for reading! (Sorry I didn't update sooner. Homework is atrocious!) - Dragondustbubblez**


	13. MerryGoRound Broke Down

**Yuki's furious. ****=O lol, R&R please =)**

Chapter 13 – Merry-Go-Round Broke Down

All three boys remained quiet and stared blankly at Tohru. She dared not to look up. Shigure was the first to speak out of the eerie silence.

"Heh, who told you to say that?" he asked, thinking that this was some sort of joke. "D-Don't scare us like that."

"I'm . . . . I'm not j-joking," whispered Tohru.

Shigure immediately frowned and gulped.

"How do you know this?" asked Yuki, his head getting dizzier every second. "How'd this . . . how . . ."

"I went to visit Hatori," said Tohru, low in volume. He . . . he let me take this test and . . ."

Shigure sighed and rubbed his brow. Yuki looked positively horrified, and Kyou's expression was non-readable.

Tohru couldn't stand the silence. The others were too stunned to say anything; she was too upset to cry . . .

She forced herself not to. Crying showed weakness, weakness showed that she couldn't handle the trials. She'd let them know that she could handle it. She could take care of this on her own. She'd have to, or else they'd never forgive her.

"I'm . . . sorry everyone. I'm so very, very sorry. I'll . . . I-I'll take care of this on my own. You won't need to do anything on my behalf. It's . . . it's my fault after all. Please, I'm . . . I'm not asking for your forgiveness; I just . . . I . . ."

Tohru looked up at Kyou, who stared at her in disbelief. Just before her tears could fall, she left for the kitchen and got out food to prepare for lunch.

Both Shigure and Yuki looked at Kyou curiously. Yuki was fuming.

"So," he began, with an icy mock smile, "she's pregnant, Kyou?"

Kyou didn't answer. How did this happen? He could have sworn that they were safe. He used protection and everything. So how did . . .

"Kyou," asked Shigure, "did you use, you know, a condom? Specifically, the one I gave you?"

"You gave him the condom?!" yelled Yuki before Kyou could answer. "You shouldn't have promoted that kind of behavior anyway!"

"But Yuki, it . . . it was bound to happen."

"No offense, but it shouldn't! This is the reason why Tohru is pregnant!!"

Kyou answered.

"Well, I don't think I . . ."

"YOU DIDN'T US PROTECTION?!?!?!" interrupted Yuki, his face red with fury.

"No, it's not that!" Kyou yelled back. "I did use it! I didn't check the package."

"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH IT!?!?!"

"To check for a hole or something!"

"SO YOU DIDN'T CHECK?!?!"

"WELL,I DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED TO!! SHIGURE GAVE ME THE DAMN THING SO BLAME HIM!!!!"

Yuki grew silent and faced Shigure with his iciest look. Shigure shivered a little, but recovered.

"Kyou," he began, "I know I gave it to you, but it was an accident. It was old and from many years back. How was I supposed to know?"

"YOU DID KNOW!!!!" Yuki and Kyou yelled in unison.

"Now, now boys, whose fault is this?"

"YOURS!!!"

Well, Kyou, you were the one who had sex with her. Not I, you know."

"But . . ." started Kyou.

"It doesn't matter," interrupted Yuki, abruptly. "It already happened and it can't be undone. The best thing to do is not panic and make Ms. Honda as comfortable as possible. For her sake AND the newborn's."

Yuki started to walk into the kitchen, but then stopped in his tracks. He turned to Kyou.

"Just because I've stopped yelling at you, it doesn't mean that I've forgiven you. Mark my words, stupid cat . . . I WILL kill you. That's a promise."

"You can try," started Kyou, "but you ain't gonna kill me, FAGGOT. You can be sure of that!!"

Yuki walked off in a huff, saying no more. Shigure and Kyou were left standing in the hallway.

"Well, looks like you've got a lot on your hands," said Shigure.

"Heh . . . like YOU care," scowled Kyou.

"Well actually, I do. You know what bringing a baby here means?"

"What?"

"We'll need to make more space for the kid to grow, buy diapers every week, more cleaning products, baby food, not to mention toddler gates on the stairs, the bathroom, the kitchen . . . ."

"OKAY!!! I know . . . . I-I know . . ."

Kyou looked to the floor and rubbed his aching forehead. His eyes burned with angry tears, threatening to fall.

"I just . . . I don't know what to do. This wasn't supposed ta happen . . ."

"Well, it," started Shigure, ". . . it wasn't really your fault. You did the responsible thing by using the condom, but I guess fate got the best of you. Truth is, I really didn't know that the package was that old. And, I apologize for that."

" . . . . What do I do now?"

"Make sure that Tohru does what she needs to keep her and the baby healthy. Also, make sure that she's feeling okay. I'm sure she's as worried as you are, especially since she'll be bearing the child."

Kyou had almost forgotten about that detail. Tohru would give birth, and a painful birth at that. Would he be strong enough to hear her cries? Or would he swoon at the sight of all the blood? He grew dizzy at the thought.

Yuki stood next to Tohru, who was cutting lettuce and tomatoes. He didn't say anything, for he feared that he might cause her to cry. But he had to say something to her, just to make sure that she was okay.

"Ms. Honda," he began, "are . . . are you feeling alright?"

Tohru tensed up at his voice. It was nice to hear, but in all honest truth, she wanted to be alone at the moment. Still, she wiped her eyes and put on the best smile she could.

"I'm okay," she said, turning to him. "Really. I don't need any help with any of this. You don't have to worry about me."

"But Ms. Honda, I have a question. Kyou didn't hurt you or force you to . . . . you know . . . . did he?"

"Oh no! He actually insisted that I should wait. But it was my fault. I told him that I wanted to do it that night. All he did was just listen to me. It's my fault that I'm pregnant . . ."

"It's not your fault."

"It's not Kyou's fault either. He'd never hurt me purposely. I know that very well."

"That may be, but Ms. Honda, you have to remember that he IS a boy . . ."

"But so are you. And I know that you wouldn't hurt me either."

"But it's not the same with Kyou and I. He has definite feelings for you, and being the male he is, he may get overcome by those feelings. He has to learn to control that urge."

"But I wanted to do this with him. He didn't force me."

"I'm just saying that both of you should be more careful. It's bad enough that you're pregnant with his kid!"

"Yes . . . I'm . . . I'm sorry. I'll be more careful."

Yuki kicked himself inside for saying this. It really wasn't her fault, but now that she had a child on the way, that couldn't be changed one bit. Tohru shamefully looked to the ground, avoiding Yuki's eyes.

"Ms. Honda," sighed Yuki, putting his palm on her cheek, "I'm not trying to scold you. I just . . . I just can't stand to see you get hurt. You must be so frightened."

Tohru shook her head and turned back to her cooking.

"I'm f-fine," she replied. "Just a little tired . . ."

"Remember Ms. Honda, you can talk to me if you want. I may not be the greatest advisor, but if you have any questions . . . . . H-Here, let me help you cook. You shouldn't be on your own right now . . ."

"No, Yuki."

Yuki decided to back off. Tohru sounded angry, for once in her life. Maybe he was being too helpful, almost to the point that he was annoying her. Just to be sure, he tried to look her in the face. Every time he tried to face her, she looked away quickly, without a word.

Feeling worse that he thought he would, Yuki turned away and walked out the kitchen without saying goodbye. Maybe now that Kyou was in a bigger relationship with her, he was no longer needed.

"WHAT?!" yelled Uo, her eyes opening wide. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! BUT . . . HOW?!?!"

"Kyou and I, we . . . ." began Tohru, not being able to say it. "We . . . . we became more serious in our relationship."

"I've always seen him confessing to you, but not having sex with you!!"

"Oh dear," Hana sighed sorrowfully, "I had always seen Tohru being a mother later on, but not this early . . ."

"Yeah I know!" replied Uo. "I mean, what would your mom say about this?"

Tohru shuddered and her eyes began to water. But she wouldn't allow any tears to escape. Sympathy was the last thing she needed. Still, she couldn't keep the sickening look off her face. Uo and Hana noticed right away.

"Ah geez Tohru, I'm sorry," apologized Uo. "I didn't mean to bring your mom into this. I suppose that only makes it worse. Look, if you want us to rough up that damn orange top, we will!"

Electric sparks angrily shook around Hana's head in agreement. Tohru just shook her head.

"It's not his fault! Please, don't hurt him! He was actually really concerned about me. I'm . . . I'm the one who asked if we could d-do it right away that night. I should have waited."

"But why'd you do it with him in the first place?" asked Uo.

"I . . . . . I don't know. It just . . . . felt like the right thing to do. I couldn't help but to feel that way around him. I . . . . I-I still do . . . .

Tohru ducked her head and blushed.

"Oh my," cooed Hana softly. "Our Tohru, in love. I didn't think I'd see the day so soon."

"In . . . . love?" questioned Tohru. "Oh no! It couldn't be! L-Love is so strong and it . . . it's shared between adults and . . . ."

"Well, we are pretty much adults now. Maybe this is your time . . ."

"But I'm too young! I just don't think that . . ."

"Tohru, just admit it," said Uo. "You're in love . . . . Look kid, you're in it deep. Whenever you look at him, I can see it there. I'm sure he has it too."

"Oh no, he . . . he couldn't. He's just . . ."

"A friend? Crush? Come on Tohru. How could you just be friends if you've decided to have intercourse?"

Tohru shuffled her feet and shrugged. There was no way out of this struggle so the only way to avoid it was to not mention it. She stayed silent for a minute, but couldn't bear to keep it to herself.

"Do you . . . really think that Kyou . . . l-loves me?"

"Hands down, yeah!" said Uo. "But whether he loves you or not, he better help you out. If not, I'm gonna have to convince him."

She flexed her arm muscle and Hana nodded in agreement. Tohru smiled gratefully, knowing she could rely on her friends. Still, she'd have to handle this herself. If she didn't look strong, that would look bad for herself and everyone else.

"So," said Uo, after a moment. "How . . . how was he? You know, when you guys . . . . . Was he rough with you?"

"Oh no, he was very gentle and very nice to me," claimed Tohru, smiling shyly when she pictured the past images in her thoughts. "He often asked me if I was okay and made sure that I was comfortable."

"Did he keep eye contact?"

"Y-Yeah. He watched my eyes almost the whole time. He seemed really into it."

"Well, yeah! It's SEX! You tend to get into it, I hear. But HOW was it overall?"

"I can't even describe it. It was so . . . different and new. It kind of hurt, but still, it was so incredible. I felt like he and I were . . . joined together or something. I'm sorry, I can't really explain it."

"Wow . . . Heh, and I thought I'd be the first one to lose my virginity."

"What? You haven't been pleased by Kureno yet?" Hana teased slyly.

Uo blushed heavily.

"No! We haven't gotten that far! He's . . . he's really old fashioned when it comes to dating. Still . . ."

"Keep your dreams to yourself please," cooed Hana. "Tohru may no longer be a virgin, but her ears still are."

Tohru giggled softly. At least nothing had changed between she and her friends. They could still joke around as usual. Even Yuki seemed to stay the same. She just hoped that the last time she spoke to him didn't hurt his feelings.

"Well," said Shigure, through the silence, "I'm going to go to my editor now. The poor thing's been whining and waiting for me all day."

Shigure tiptoed away, leaving Yuki and Kyou behind in their deadly silence. He was just around the corner of the living room wall when he turned back around and spied on the boys, out of sight and out of mind. He had a feeling that he'd have to break up a nasty fight soon.

Yuki's eyes looked sharp and concentrated, with his irises almost empty of color. His sneer turned nasty as he continued to glare at Kyou in the eye. Kyou, in turn, stared back, but not intently. He could have sworn that he felt a shiver of fear from all this. It was like waiting for a murder that was about to happen.

"What are you looking at?" sneered Kyou, his eyes narrowing to hide his fear.

"A despicable creature," Yuki crowed, his voice cracking. Kyou tried to be reasonable. It was his fault after all.

"Look, I . . . I didn't mean to get her p-pregnant. I just wanted to . . ."

"And what exactly did you hope to get out of her from doing such a thing? Sympathy?"

"I wasn't trying to get anything! All I wanted was to be with her!"

"You. Know. Better."

"I don't regret having sex with her. It was what she wanted. I'm not just going to give up on her just because you're too jealous to accept the facts!"

"I AM NOT JEALOUS. And the fact is that YOU made her pregnant! Nothing can change that!"

"But I'm going to take care of this! I'm going to help her!"

"Like you could help! Knowing you, you'd yell at her AND the kid!"

"You think you know me, don't you?!"

"Just well enough to protect Ms. Honda!!"

"Shut up!! I ain't takin' that shit from you!! At least I'm trying to do my best to give her some space while you annoy the crud outta her!!"

"At least I even TALK to her unlike SOMEONE here, who leaves her to cry alone!!"

"YOU were the one who made me leave the subject alone in the first place!! You're just trying to hide the fact that you're upset that she doesn't confide in you anymore!!! You're USELESS."

Yuki curled his fist in anger. The oncoming tears in his eyes justified Kyou's cruel words. But by letting the tears fall, he'd be proving that Kyou was right. He'd never . . . . .

But still, even as he was able to hold them back, his voice shook.

"Take that back," Yuki spoke, slowly and with an icy, raspy whisper. A tear escaped his left eye.

"No . . . ." sneered Kyou. "I'd NEVER . . . ."

"TAKE. IT. BACK."

"You're just avoiding the fact that you wish that it was you on top of Tohru, you sick bastard."

More tears escaped from Yuki's eyes. What Kyou said wasn't true, but it hurt all the same.

"Damn you . . . . . . . DAMN YOU . . . ."

"Same to you, princess! I told you not to mess with me! Look, none of this is my fault, kay?! I'm taking the blame so she doesn't feel shamed by assholes like YOU!!! So no . . . . . damn YOU, Yuki. Tohru isn't coming to you anymore so just leave her alone!!"

Kyou stormed off to his room and slammed his door shut. Yuki was left in the living room, his fists still curled tightly. They unfurled as his shoulders sank. His eyes overflowed with hot liquid, and soft sobs erupted from his lips.

Shigure, who had seen the whole thing, decided that his editor could wait for a minute or two. He walked over to Yuki, who had crossed his arms on the coffee table and hid his head inside them, leaving his shaking shoulders visible. Shigure laid a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it sympathetically.

"I tried," cried Yuki, his voice cracking weakly. "I really did. I-I don't know what to do anymore . . . . I didn't mean to annoy her, I just wanted to help her . . . I didn't mean any . . . . any h-harm . . ."

"Shhhh," said Shigure softly, rubbing Yuki's back slowly. Yuki sobbed harder, not daring to lift his forehead from the table, even if the tip of his nose was knee-deep in fallen tears.

"Maybe it's best to leave Kyou and Tohru alone for awhile," suggested Shigure. "But don't worry about Tohru. She'll always need you."

"No, she won't," Yuki sniffed. "She already has enough to deal with. I'll only make it worse . . . . ."

"But you helped her realize that what she felt about Kyou was okay, right? You helped her out a lot more than you think."

"But if it w-wasn't for that . . . if I hadn't helped her with realizing that . . . s-she wouldn't be pregnant. It's really all MY fault . . . . I've hurt her so badly . . . ."

Yuki sobbed again. There was no use in trying to talk him into believing that he was worth something right now. He was wounded from Kyou's words and there was no telling how long he'd believe that he was to blame. But for now, the best thing that Shigure could do was calm him down. It would take Yuki awhile to come back around to himself again.


	14. Cushion Cat

Chapter 14 – Cushion Cat

"I brought DIAPERS!!"

Shigure came through the front door with two super-sized bags filled with super-sized packages of Huggies diapers for newborns to tots. He sighed as he set down the heavy packages on the coffee table, wiping the sweat off his brow. Yuki sighed at the diaper packages that now blocked his view of the T.V.

"It's a little early for those, isn't it?" he said, pushing the packages out of his way.

"It's good to be prepared!" claimed Shigure. "I think that diapers are the most important part of baby care. Well . . . at least I'm not the one that changes them."

Shigure hopped away happily, singing the "Rock-a-bye Baby" theme. Kyou came downstairs to get ready for his run. He stopped at the sight of the diapers.

"Whoa, what's this?"

Yuki didn't answer and only looked away. He was still obviously sore from last month's fight. The silence between them wasn't the same as usual. It was a bit painful; eerie almost . . .

"Well uh . . . I'm going for a run," said Kyou. He waited for a wisecracking response but none came. Yuki continued to ignore him and say nothing. Kyou sighed and left. Yuki called him back for a moment.

"Ah, Kyou?" he said quietly, still not looking at him. "What's . . . what's Ms. Honda up to now and then?"

Kyou grimaced.

"Puking."

He left out the front door and began his run. Instinct told Yuki to go and check on Tohru. But right when he was about to climb up the stairs, he remembered what Kyou had said. He was bothering her and she needed her space. It was only natural, though. Hormones tended to rage when a woman was pregnant; at least, that was what Shigure told him.

Yuki was just taking it too hard. Perhaps Tohru was okay after all and he was just being an old fashioned worry-wart. But the whole thing with wanting to be on "top" of her was out of the question. Yuki never thought of her that way. She was too maternal for that.

Yuki breathed out a long sigh and went the opposite direction of the stairs, heading for his garden. Since it was autumn, his plants weren't flourishing as usual, but the produce they produced was ripe and ready for picking.

To make up for crowding Tohru, he decided to give all his produce to her, so she didn't have to shop for vegetables. True, he wanted to eat them himself – he had been tending to them for a long time now – but that would only be selfish.

After picking the ripest produce, he went back to the house and put the veggies on the kitchen counter. He went away as quickly as possible, since Tohru was already in the kitchen.

She turned around at the sudden rustling noise. She found a whole bunch of fresh vegetables to use. Standing there in thought, she wondered who had dropped them off. Then again, who was the only person she knew who's ever done that for her?

Tohru went out of the kitchen, searching around for Yuki, so she could thank him personally. But the more she looked, the more out of sight he seemed. She sighed sadly and returned to the kitchen. She and Yuki hadn't spoken to each other in a long time and it was getting incomplete without him.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Tohru came out of the bathroom and wiped her mouth. She puked less than the day before, so that was a good sign that she was soon to be over the woes of the first trimester. She went to the laundry room to pick up dried clothing. Kyou caught up with her.

"Hey Tohru," he started. "Are you feeling alright? Have you gotten enough to eat? Are ya still pukin' a lot? Are you-"

"Kyou, I'm fine," smiled Tohru. "I'm not even close to the part where I have to take heavy precautions. I-I think . . ."

"But it's not like you to not worry."

"But I'm not supposed to worry, right? So . . . So I'm calm. It's better for everyone if I continue doing my chores as if nothing's happened."

"But something HAS happened. Tohru, you're friggin' pregnant! Are you hiding something?"

"N-No . . . why'd you ask?"

"Because you haven't been talking to me or Yuki. You know that we can help you out, right?"

"Yeah . . ."

Kyou sighed.

"Let me guess . . . . . You want your space, right?"

"R-Right."

"You don't seem so sure."

"I am sure. I just need to take care of this myself. That way, you don't have to do too much for me."

"But Tohru, I-"

Tohru ran off to do her chores, leaving Kyou to finish his sentence alone.

"I . . . I wanna help . . ."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Hey Tohru," asked Shigure. "Come inside my office for a moment."

Tohru followed him inside the moderately messy room. She heavily felt the need to decontaminate the place.

"I found some colleges that you may be interested in," continued Shigure. "I know you enjoy cooking so I looked for some good culinary schools."

Tohru's eyes opened wide with interest. She looked the computer screen up and down several times, seeing all the endless possibilities. But suddenly, she came back down to the harsh reality.

"I really appreciate this Shigure but . . . I . . . I can't accept this."

"Why not?"

"I have a baby to take care of, so I won't have time for college anymore."

" . . . . . I understand."

Tohru bowed and started to leave. Just then Shigure called her again.

"But you're only keeping the baby until a willing family comes along . . . . . . . . . a-aren't you?"

Tohru didn't answer. She thought of it for a moment, but couldn't see the answer to this riddle. Sure, giving the baby to a stable couple who wanted children was a good idea. But . . . who would take a baby from someone as irresponsible as her?

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Of course, there was one detail that Shigure forgot to tell Tohru. Hatori had gone and told the whole family that Tohru was pregnant with Kyou's child. But while Tohru already knew that, what she didn't know was that they were visiting that night.

They all came through the door, one by one. Only Akito couldn't come, because she was ill with a fever. Tohru was extremely bewildered by all this and wondered what to do.

"Oh dear!" she cried, her eyes getting dizzy. "There's so many people and so much to do! I have to make snacks and refreshments for them and set up plates, and clean the rest of the house and-!"

Hatori put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry so much. You'll put stress on your baby."

Tohru calmed down a bit, but her heart still thumped rapidly. Yuki and Kyou glared at Shigure.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS?!?" they yelled in unison.

"It must have slipped my mind," said Shigure sheepishly.

Kagura went over to Kyou and congratulated him, though she was obviously jealous about Tohru being the one to carry his child. She hinted the fact several times. Still, she did her best to behave. Haru and Rin managed to snoop around and find a closet full of unopened diaper packages. Momiji carefully clung to Tohru without crowding her stomach. He put his ear to it, listening closely.

"I don't hear anything or feel any kicking. Are you sure you're pregnant?"

"Mmhm," said Tohru. "But the baby's too little to be heard or felt right now."

"When it's bigger, can I feel for kicking?"

"Of course."

"YAAAAYYY!!!! Oh! Oops! Sorry . . . Hari told me not to yell."

Hiro and Kisa came over to Tohru. Hiro stood back, pouting, while Kisa put all her attention on her.

"Sissy!" she cooed, giving Tohru a big hug. "When will the baby come?"

"I think it'll come in about . . . mmm . . . March, I think," Tohru replied, counting the months on her fingers.

"Oh great," complained Hiro. "You just HAD to get pregnant, didn't you?"

That only meant that Kisa would see Tohru more often than most. That meant him too, unfortunately.

Ayame came around to talk to Kyou.

"Well, Kyou, I expected that you'd woo her but not cause her to become sick with child!! You manly stud. AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT EVERYTHING'S WORKING FOR YOU 'DOWN' THERE!! HA-HA-HA!!!"

Kyou blushed several shades of red while everyone who heard laughed. He hit Ayame on the head, giving him a large goose bump.

"YOU PERVERTED, OLD BASTARD! DAMMIT! DON'T TALK ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT HERE!!"

"Oh come now Kyou, I'm not THAT old."

"SHUT UP!"

"I wonder what the baby's gonna look like!" said Momiji excitedly, changing the subject. Everyone nodded in interest. Discussion was evidently unavoidable, so everyone took a seat in the living room. Tohru smiled nervously.

"I think that it'll be a girl," said Kagura. "And it'll look just like Kyou, only pretty!"

"It's probably gonna look like Tohru," whined Hiro.

"I'm rooting for a boy," said Haru. Rin just shrugged and said nothing.

"I'm more concerned about where Ms. Honda will have her baby," said Hatori. "She can't have it at the Sohma house. There's not enough equipment to complete such a task."

"The nearest hospital should be enough, right?" asked Ayame. "They're reliable enough."

"I don't know . . . We'll leave it up to Tohru."

"What I want to know is if she's going medical or natural," added Kagura. "Personally, I think natural is best. The shots they give you could harm the baby."

"If she were smart, she'd allow the medicine shot," argued Rin. "D'you know how PAINFUL this birthing shit is?"

Tohru gulped, never considering that fact before. She began to sweat, but only gave a shaky laugh.

"Well, that's YOUR opinion . . ." Kagura concluded. "So Shigure, have you figured out where the baby's gonna stay?"

"N-Not at the moment," stuttered Shigure, sheepishly. "For now, we're hoping to find a 'permanent' foster home for the baby. You know, so Tohru can finish her schooling."

"But the odds of finding the right adoptive parents are terrible," Rin added once again. "It's going to be hell trying to find something like that."

"But . . . But if she doesn't, she won't be able to go to college," Yuki added sadly. "That's her life's dream."

"No offense, but it's not gonna be a dream for much longer. Having a baby changes everything."

Tohru sighed sadly. Everyone talked as if she wasn't there, and it felt so lonely to be talked about in that way. All the things Rin said startled her. What was worse was that it was all true. Her life was about to change drastically, and she was no where near prepared. Surely, she knew that everyone was counting on her to do her best. But at this stage in the game, she didn't know if she could even put her first foot forward.

She continued to listen, each saying weighing her down like metal.

"Maybe when the baby's older, Kyou could stay and take care of it while Tohru goes to college," Momiji said innocently.

Kyou winced and frowned deeply.

"No Momiji, I'm certain that that won't work," Hatori said coldly. "It wouldn't be right to leave Kyou alone to take the chores of a full time parent. It just doesn't work that way."

"Women do it all the time and they don't even have a choice," Yuki said curtly, giving Kyou an evil look. "I think it would do him some good. Ms. Honda deserves to pursue her intuitions."

"Yuki, we appreciate your opinions and agree with you one hundred percent, but even Kyou has his limits," Shigure laughed. Kyou cringed and shifted uncomfortably.

"But what I wanna know is what's gonna happen to the kid," said Haru. "I mean, the little guy doesn't get a say in this. How's its life gonna be in this mess?"

"We'll all try to do the best we can," Hatori said. He looked over at Tohru, whose eyes were starting to redden and water. Instantly realizing that they had all forgotten that she was there, he coughed into his fist and looked away with a guilty look.

"For now, I think we should give Ms. Honda her rest. She must be tired from all of the commotion."

Everyone nodded and yawned widely, feeling the night's darkness affect their internal clocks. Saying goodbye, they all marched out the front door of the house, leaving the room stark quiet.

Shigure stretched and looked upon Tohru's face. Feeling a string of pity, he started one last conversation on a happy note.

" . . . Things will get better. Just wait and see."

Tohru didn't blink as she stared ahead, her mind elsewhere. Shigure grimaced away at her blank expression and tip-toed away to his messy office.

Tohru looked up, meeting up with Yuki's eyes. He looked at her for a moment, but then sighed and headed upstairs, not bothering to say goodnight to her. Tohru's eyes saddened and her tears began to overflow.

"Let's go to bed," Kyou yawned. He walked up the stairs, and Tohru followed after him quietly. Once he came to his door, he turned to Tohru to kiss her goodnight. But when he turned around, he saw what he didn't expect. Tohru looked up at him, her eyes red and her cheeks strewn with fresh, warm tears. More liquid was threatening to fall as she stood there, not knowing what to say.

Kyou took her hand and pulled her into his room. He closed the door and sat down on his futon with her.

"Ya ready to talk now?" Kyou asked softly.

Tohru nodded and hid her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. Kyou figured the talk in the living room had gotten too touchy. Even he was feeling a bit worn down from the words of his relatives.

Tohru tried to say something, but the sobbing overpowered her words. Kyou decided to wait until she calmed down, so he lay on his side, beckoning for Tohru to follow his movement. He put his arm behind her neck and laid his hand on her shoulder, pulling her closer to him as he lay on his futon. Tohru rested her head on his chest, while she cried into his shirt; Kyou pulled her into a tight embrace. Tohru gripped the side of his shirt and put her other arm around his waist. She tried to suck in her tears.

"I-I'm sorry . . . f-for crying so much," she sniffed. "I guess I-I'm just too w-weak."

"Look," began Kyou. "First of all, you're pregnant at the age of seventeen. Of course you're gonna cry if you care about it. Secondly, you needed to cry. You've been hiding from all of us for too long. Sure, crying's annoying if you do it too much, but you're having a hard time. So, let go a little. It's okay to be anything but happy sometimes. You're a human . . . so act like one. Okay?"

Tohru dug her face into his shirt again, the tears falling more freely. Kyou closed his eyes and sighed.

"Besides," he added. "They were being jerks to you tonight."

"But I was . . . . I was supposed to be strong," cried Tohru. "I needed to show you all that I can be okay. If not, I was afraid that you all would give up on me. I know that you're all angry with me about the pregnancy. I can see it in your eyes. I . . . I wanted to make it up to you."

"Tohru, we're not mad . . . . . . W-We're worried. But look, it's not even your fault. It's mostly mine. I should have been more responsible."

"Then why won't Yuki talk to me anymore? Isn't he mad at me?"

Kyou's eyes lit up in realization of a gigantic mistake. By telling Yuki off, he got him to believe that he was bothering her. That, in turn, affected her. Kyou held his hand on his forehead in shame.

"I'm such an idiot," he sighed.

"What? What is it?" asked Tohru, wiping away her tears.

"That whole thing with Yuki was . . . . was my fault."

"How? What did you do?"

"I . . . . I told him that you were annoyed with him trying to help you."

". . . . Why did you tell him that, Kyou?"

"We had a fight. Nothing physical, just verbal. I tried to talk to him without a fight but he got really mad with me."

"Why?"

"He . . . He thinks that I hurt you and got you pregnant on purpose."

"But you didn't! Why would he think that?"

"He hates me, remember? But . . . . I-I think that he's really worried about you. He just wants what's best for you. He doesn't care about whether or not I'm okay."

" . . . . . So, he's not mad?"

"Nah. He's just avoiding you because he thinks that he's bothering you. Look, don't tell him I told you this but, I think you should go and . . . well, you know, include him in this whole pregnancy thing. It'll probably make him really happy. Not like I care though."

Tohru dried her eyes and smiled at the unassuming look on Kyou's face. She gave him another long embrace before leaving his room. She headed for Yuki's door, and knocked lightly on it, hoping that he was still awake. He opened his door, holding a book in his hand. He looked rather sad when he saw her.

Tohru immediately felt guilty and put her arms around him. Yuki almost tripped from the impact.

"I'm so sorry!" cried Tohru. "Are you alright?"

"M-Ms. Honda," said Yuki, in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Now I know why we haven't been speaking! I've been so selfish that I didn't realize that you felt left out! I'm truly, truly sorry, Yuki! I really am!"

Yuki's heart melted as Tohru mumbled those words into his chest as she held him tightly. He smiled gently and put his hands on her back comfortably, enjoying the warmth coming from her body. He missed hugging her so . . .

"Ms. Honda, you don't have to apologize. You're going through a difficult time and you can't include everyone at once. Besides, you probably needed some space."

"Oh no, I didn't need any space! I wanted to talk to you. It was just that I was afraid that you were upset about my pregnancy. But Kyou told me that-"

Tohru covered her mouth, almost forgetting that Kyou didn't want Yuki to know that he helped. But somehow, Yuki understood anyway. He smiled at Tohru, and she smiled back.

"Yuki?" started Tohru. "I was wondering if uh . . . . maybe you could help me with this pregnancy. It is my first time after all."

Yuki positively beamed.

"Of course," he said in a content and gentle voice.

"Oh . . . and Yuki?"

"Yes?"

"C-Could you and Kyou be the ones to hold my hand when I give birth? I'm . . . . . I'm frightened . . . . . . . ."

Yuki kissed the top of her forehead and held her close, feeling her give a shaky sigh. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her head. She truly looked and felt frightened and he couldn't tell her anything otherwise than what he felt so strongly.

Yuki shivered as he felt her tears soak into his shirt. Still, Tohru would not lift her head. She stood there as still as water, not moving, not stirring the mood that had been created. It was now that Tohru felt as if she and her father had been reunited after a long misunderstanding. It was now that Yuki felt as if he and his mother had come to cross roads on an oddly warm day . . . It was then that he said these words . . .

_"I'm always at you service, Ms. Honda, no matter what it takes . . . . . . . . I always have . . ." _

_

* * *

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**I hope you guys enjoyed that! I'm already working on the sequel to Learning to Cope so hopefully I'll be able to put up the first chapter as soon as I finish this story. In other news, the next story to be updated is Alluring Seas. Check it out, kay? Kudos - Dragondustbubblez**


	15. Ms Queen Bee

Chapter 15 – Ms. Queen Bee

Bump. Clank. Crumble. Boosh.

Kyou followed Tohru around with his arms open for catching her. Tohru's abdomen had grown two times in size over a period of time and she was bumping into everything. So much even, that Hatori recommended another check-up to make sure that the baby in question was unharmed. At the rate this was going, Kyou actually began to feel sorry for the little tyke. He figured that it was like some freak coaster that swung you around and jolted every five minutes.

Yuki was just as worried. Not as much for the baby, since it wasn't his, but more so for Tohru. She ran her stomach into every object that slightly stood in her way. She was already clumsy enough. Just add on a heavy front-side and it was a recipe for disaster. He too followed Tohru around, just waiting for her to fall over.

"Come now, you two," laughed Shigure. "You guys are acting like housewives and hens. Just relax. I'm sure Tohru can take care of walking by herself."

A crash rang through the house.

"Or maybe I'm not so sure," added Shigure, sighing. "Where does a pregnant woman get so much energy?"

Yuki and Kyou ran towards the noise. Tohru stood over a broken vase. She was trying to bend down to pick it up, but her baby bump got in the way.

"I'm sorry!" she said quickly. "I'll pick it up right away!"

"Ms. Honda!" said Yuki. "Wait! Let me help you with that."

"Come sit down on the couch and stay there," said Kyou, leading her with his hand on her back.

She sat down and Kyou sat beside her, examining her from head to toe.

"You didn't cut yourself did you? Does your stomach hurt? You aren't nauseous, are ya? Did ya-"

"No, I'm fine," giggled Tohru, blushing happily. "You and Yuki fuss like mothers! Ha-ha!"

"_That's what Shigure said . . ."_ Yuki and Kyou thought in unison.

"Ms. Honda, you should calm down with the chores," said Yuki. "We appreciate that you still keep up with all the work, but since your pregnant, you may hurt yourself if you're not careful."

"But I have so much to do today!" claimed Tohru. "I still need to clean the bathrooms, water the plants, and hang the laundry! I also need to-"

"Well, ya can't," interrupted Kyou. "You've got another appointment with Hatori to go to. You can do chores later."

"Actually, she shouldn't be doing so many chores at once," noted Yuki. "In the state she's in, she might injure herself. How about this? You and Ms. Honda go to Hatori's while Shigure and I clean up a bit while you're gone."

Tohru stared at Yuki in surprise, not knowing what to say. Yuki hated to clean, let alone even mention it. But then again, he DID say he wanted to help her more. Maybe this was him attempting to be more helpful.

Then again, she meant no offense, but he and Shigure weren't the best housekeepers. But maybe, if she gave them a chance . . .

"Sounds fair," said Kyou, shrugging. "But how the hell are ya gonna get that good for nothin' dog ta clean? Surely not your 'princely-charms'?"

"Hmph . . ." huffed Yuki. He thought for a moment, and then put a smug smile on his face.

"I'll find a way . . . ."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Kyou and Tohru arrived at the Sohma house's doctor's office. Hatori was in his part of the office, going through papers on his clipboard. The two teenagers sat down and waited for Hatori to call them. Hatori soon received notice that she was here and allowed her in.

"Right this way," he motioned to Kyou and Tohru. They followed him into the family's ultrasound room. It was incredibly small, compact, and dull with a comfy looking examination table to lie on. Tohru slid onto the table an laid down, lifting the lower part of her blouse. Hatori, along with the aid of Kyou, applied gel onto Tohru's baby bump and smoothed it around. She shivered a little from the gel's cool feel.

Hatori took the ultrasound censor and ran it slowly along Tohru's skin. An image came on the screen next to her.

"Oh look!" cried Tohru. "There's the baby! It's getting so big!"

"Actually, the baby's relatively small for its size," chuckled Hatori. "But it looks healthy, so I'm not too worried about it."

"I can see the features more clearly."

"Yes. I think you can even spot a couple individual toes."

" . . . They're so little!"

"Yes, they are."

" . . . Wow Kyou, it looks amazing . . . this baby's going to be so beautiful."

"Yeah," said Kyou, smiling slightly.

"Would you like to know the sex of the child?" asked Hatori.

"Oh no, I'd like to keep it a surprise," Tohru replied. Kyou shrugged and agreed, not really caring either way.

"Oh, and have you found someone to take care of the baby for you?" Hatori added.

" . . . . Wait, what?" inquired Tohru.

"Did you forget? Shigure said that you were going to give the baby to another couple as an adoption."

"Oh my . . . I've forgotten."

"It's up to you."

Tohru knew that it would be better to give the child to someone who could care for it, but something told her not to. She had gotten so attached to the idea of becoming a mother that she didn't look around for foster parents. She had to admit that she felt guilty for giving up her baby; almost as if she was abandoning it for herself. She couldn't bring herself to do it. But it would be strange to say so, and she had no idea what Kyou thought of the matter. He never spoke of the dilemma once. She didn't know whether he didn't know, of if he was just avoiding the topic altogether.

"I . . . . I don't know," said Tohru. "I want to know what Kyou wants to do."

Hatori and Tohru looked to Kyou, waiting for an answer. Truth was, he REALLY wasn't ready to be a father. But the way Tohru confided in him made him feel like he could pull it off. Somehow, she was so sure that he'd be a great parent. Of course, she was heavily mistaken. But he had to make Tohru happy to make up for all of this in the first place.

"Well . . ." sighed Kyou, slowly. "Whatever Tohru decides is fine with me."

"Kyou, a-are you sure?" asked Tohru. "You look hesitant."

"I'm sure. You deserve to choose, not me."

Tohru thought for a moment. She kind of wanted to keep the baby, but Kyou was obviously uncomfortable with the idea.

"I'm going to give the baby to foster parents," concluded Tohru. "It would be better for me, Kyou, and the baby as well."

Kyou silently sighed a breath of relief. He looked to Tohru with gratitude, but saw the saddened look on her face. He then realized that she chose what she didn't want. Guilt rose up in his chest.

"Alright," said Hatori. "But you realize that finding foster parents will be difficult."

Tohru nodded and sighed with worry.

" . . . . Of course, I'll help where I can and . . . see if I can find a couple of people who'd be willing to have a baby of their own," added Hatori.

"Thank you," said Tohru. She was helped off the ultrasound table by Kyou, and they headed for home. Once they were gone, Hatori began looking all over in magazines, newspapers, and even went online. He found one number for people who were searching for a child that they couldn't have on their own. Not only that, but they couldn't afford to go with the scientific approach to fertilization.

Hatori called the number and went through the process of talking to whoever answered on the other line. He continued on through the night, hoping to find a decent home.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

When Kyou and Tohru came home, they saw that Yuki hadn't gone back on his word. The house was cleaner than before she left. It wasn't as clean as she usually made it, but it was still a job well done. Shigure came around the corner with a dirty rag in hand. He was pouting.

"How'd the rat get YOU to clean?" asked Kyou, in awe.

"He threatened to unplug my computer will all my unsaved documents on it," replied Shigure, hunched over and crying crocodile tears. "But putting that aside, how was the appointment?"

"It went very well!" said Tohru. "Hatori said that the baby is very healthy. Also, he's going to help us find foster parents for it."

"That's strange; I assumed you were keeping the baby. You didn't reply to me when I mentioned foster parents."

"I . . . I kind of wish I could but, I'm not ready to raise a baby and neither is Kyou. It would be best to give it to someone who can take care of it."

"Well, if that's what you want to do, then so be it. But I guess I need to take back all those diapers I bought . . ."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh no, it's alright. Just do what you want, okay?"

Kyou turned to Tohru.

"So, when do we start looking for foster parents?"

"I think we should start soon, just to make sure that everything works out alright," answered Tohru. " . . . How about tomorrow?"

"Sounds good. Hey, do you have to work tonight?"

"Yeah, but only for certain things. Tonight's my last day until I get back from giving birth."

"Kay."

Tohru went to her room to tidy up. Kyou went into Shigure's office.

"Hey," called Kyou. "I need to use your computer for a while. I gotta find a place online where I can get info on finding foster parents."

Shigure shrugged. He saved his spot on his novel and got up from his chair. Kyou sat down and brought up a Google search. He typed in "finding foster parents" into the search engine and waited. A couple of options came up, including some with a series of phone numbers and emails. Kyou didn't have an email, so he settled for the phone. He printed out the online papers and brought them to the phone. Anxious to get started, Kyou started to call people while Tohru was away.

After a dial tone, someone answered the phone. A raspy voiced man answered the phone. He coughed continuously while little kids yelled in the background.

"Hello?" he wheezed.

"Uh . . ." began Kyou, not being the best to talk to strangers. Why couldn't Yuki do all the calling instead of him? "Is this Kamahi Sumo?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Uh . . . I'm here to answer your adoption ad."

"Adoption ad . . . OH YEAH! Heh-heh, forgot all about that thing. So uh . . . you got kid for me?"

"Well, it's not born yet, if that's okay . . ."

"How many months left?"

"Ah . . . about three, I think."

The man on the other end pulled his mouth away and told the kids in the background to quiet down, and very rudely, in fact. Then he asked a woman, assumingly his wife, how three months sounded. She answered him shrewdly.

"She says it's cool. So how does this work? I'm not good with the whole 'foster' thing. Once the kid's born, do ya just drop it off at our house or-"

"Well," started Kyou, feeling uneasy. "I think we have to take a tour of your house to make sure it's suitable."

"Ohhh . . ." the sleazy man answered, coughing slightly. "Can't we just skip that part? I can assure you my house is good enough."

"Hey, if your house ain't spick and span by OUR standards, then you can't have the baby!"

"Look pal, the Mrs. wants the baby, not me! I'm just doing this so she can shut up already! I already got four brats at home and this is the last one. Just be a good guy and hand over the kid. Trust me, I'll take care of it."

"Too bad! You ain't getting it!"

Kyou hung up the phone, cursing the sleazy man with cusses galore. Tohru came downstairs in her work uniform, looking at him curiously. Kyou shook his head and said that it was nothing. Tohru shrugged and headed out to work.

" . . . I have ta keep trying," sighed Kyou.

Five more calls were tried after that. Two of them were no-shows. One person seemed fine, until Kyou heard police sirens, knocks on the door, and a panicked hang up on the other end. Another person was obliviously high on something. The last person didn't seem to care at all.

The more he tried, the more he failed. Either the want-to-be foster parent was unacceptable, a no-show, or they just couldn't wait three more months. It had gotten nowhere so far, and Kyou hadn't even been able to find anything else online to help him. He was on the point of giving up, since he had been at it for a couple hours. Also, it was getting too late to call people.

Kyou rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. To add to his stress, Yuki came down to check on him. Of all people he didn't want to see right now, he was on the top of his list. Still, even as Yuki came around to ponder about what he was doing, he was too tired to come up with a response to get him to go away.

"Looking around for foster parents?" Yuki asked.

"What do you think?" Kyou answered weakly.

" . . . Find anyone?"

"No . . . At this rate, I don't think we'll ever find one. The only ones who bothered to answer were druggies and impatient bastards."

"Well, we still have three months. What did Ms. Honda think of the option of the orphanage?"

"She didn't like the idea."

" . . . I wouldn't blame her; I don't either."

Kyou nodded in agreement. He waited for a dial tone from one last number that he found. A woman who sounded no older than thirty answered.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hi," Kyou began, trying his best to sound inviting. "I got this ad with your number on it, saying that you were looking for a baby to adopt. Well uh . . . my girlfriend's pregnant and she and I can't take care of the baby. Are you willing to take it?"

"Oh, about that," said the woman. "I placed that ad up a year ago, but I guess I never took it down. You see, my husband and I are divorced now, and we're both low on money right now. Neither of us can have kids. I'm sorry for your trouble . . ."

"It's . . . s'okay . . . bye."

"Good night."

Kyou hung up and rubbed the temple of his forehead in frustration. The only decent person he's heard from yet, and she still couldn't have the baby. There was ALWAYS a catch, and now, things were looking pretty grim.

Yuki came out of the bathroom and went back to Kyou.

"So what did they say?" he asked.

Kyou shook his head and said nothing.

"We'll just have to try again tomorrow . . ." sighed Yuki. "Are you sure you searched everywhere?"

"Yeah," answered Kyou. "But Google doesn't help for shit! It sucks!"

" . . . You used GOOGLE? Why Google, of all places? Why not a newspaper article?"

"Hell, I don't know where they are! Shigure probably used them all up for his origami set!"

Yuki let out a weary breath and went back upstairs. Kyou, trying to stay determined, remained downstairs to search around for the most recent newspapers he could find. When that failed, he went back to Google. He even tried .

Tohru came home an hour later and looked for Kyou. She found him in Shigure's office, sound asleep on the keyboard. On the computer screen, the search engine on was filled up with the monotonously repeated letters that Kyou was lying on. Tohru giggled a little. Shigure came in shortly and saw Kyou.

"Poor guy," he chuckled. "Let's not wake him. He's had a long night."

"Oh, but Shigure, where will you sleep if he's in your room?" whispered Tohru.

"I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

" . . . What was Kyou doing all this time?"

"Finding foster parents, I believe."

"But . . . we were supposed to do that tomorrow . . . . . He must have gotten an early start. Did he . . . you know . . . find anyone?"

" . . . . . I'm . . . I'm afraid not . . ."

Tohru frowned. She really hoped that tonight they'd get lucky. But she knew very well that that was not to be. Still, she was proud of Kyou for starting this by himself and knew that she couldn't get discouraged by a misfortune of one night's failure.

Tohru said good night to Shigure, laid a warm quilt over Kyou's back, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and carefully went upstairs.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Four days had passed and there was still no sign of suitable foster parents. Kyou was ready to give up. Tohru was almost to that point too. Yuki and Shigure tried to urge them on, but it never seemed to help.

Tohru considered herself bed-ridden, and it was a nightmare come true. She couldn't get to work until after the baby was born, and that was the same for housework too. While the rest was satisfying, she loathed being idle all day. The three boys in the house had forbidden her from any work that could be considered strenuous and harmful. She was reduced to mending ripped clothing and light dusting. She was still allowed to cook, but only under the watchful eye of Kyou.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Tohru walked over and answered.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Honda?"

"Oh, hi Hatori!"

"Hello. Have you found any foster parents?"

"No, I'm afraid not . . ."

"That's alright. I believe I can be of some assistance. I came across a foster parent ad and I think I've found you suitable parents."

"R-Really? That's wonderful!"

"But you need to be at their house by tomorrow at three o'clock sharp, or else the deal will be off. They're very busy, and they only have a little time to be evaluated."

"I understand."

"I'll pick you and Kyou up tomorrow at noon and take you to the residence. There, you will have to question them, and figure out for yourselves if the house is suitable."

"Yes, Hatori, we'll do that. Thank you! Thank you so much! How could we ever repay you?"

"Have a healthy birth and stay strong. There are a couple people in this family who are rather anxious for the big day to arrive."

"Ha-ha, okay."

"Oh, and one more thing. Have you considered taking birthing classes yet?"

"Birthing classes? No . . ."

" . . . Tell Shigure to sign you up in a nearby class. I think that it is highly recommended if you want to prepare for the birth."

"Okay, I'll let him know. Thank you once again, Hatori."

"Any time."

Tohru smiled as she hung up the phone. She ran off to Kyou, who was reluctantly washing dishes in the kitchen.

"Kyou! Kyou!" she shouted excitedly.

"Heh, you look happy," smiled Kyou. "What's up with you?"

"Hatori called. He found us foster parents!"

"All right! When do we see them?"

"Tomorrow at three. He'll take us over there to interview them. Oh, Kyou, I have such a good feeling about this. They sound like nice people."

"Hey, hey. Don't get too excited!"

Tohru giggled, but tried to calm down. Kyou rolled his eyes and carefully gave Tohru a hug, trying not to crush her baby bump.

"Did you take your pregnancy pills today?" he asked, taking every precaution he could.

"Yep!" said Tohru.

"Good. Now go relax. You're going to tire yourself out . . ."

Tohru walked off and went to find Shigure. She told him the good news and also noted him about the birthing classes Hatori had told her about. Shigure nodded and immediately did some research in the phonebook. Tohru sat down, for once, feeing exhausted with glee.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"I really think this is it," said Tohru. "This is the home I want the baby to be raised in."

Kyou nodded in agreement. He looked out the car window as they drove away from the white two story house. A nice couple in the front yard waved goodbye to them. To be truthful, the home was a bit too lovey-dovey for Kyou's tastes, but Tohru obviously loved it. After all, the two adults weren't bad at all. They even seemed to approve of him, which was a first for adults. This place was definitely it.

"Still . . ." Tohru began, as she gazed out of her window. Kyou felt the atmosphere sadden instantly as she sighed quietly.

" . . . What?" Kyou asked anxiously.

"I'm . . . I'm nervous . . . . What if something happens or what if they aren't what they seem? I don't want the baby to get hurt."

"Tohru, the baby will be fine. These foster people seem serious about what they want. I don't think they'd suddenly just give up on us. Why are you so worried about it all of a sudden? You were literally jumping for joy when we left the house."

" . . . I'm not really worried . . . I just . . ."

"What?"

" . . . . . I'm . . . . I'm going to miss him . . ."

"Him? Who's him?"

Tohru looked him deep in the eyes and didn't say a word. She then looked down at her stomach and gingerly rubbed it with her fingertips. Kyou understood and scooted closer to her. He rapped his hand around her head and pulled it close to the nape of his neck, kissing the top of her head and rubbing her shoulder.

"But . . . but this IS better for _him, _right?" Tohru added.

" . . . I-I think so . . . I mean . . . we're not even true adults yet. We don't have enough time, or money, or experience. Besides, you still have to go to college to get that education you promised your mother you'd get."

Tohru smiled and nodded.

"You're right. I was forgetting. Anyways, he'll have a better life in that nice, big house."

"Yeah . . . . . . Hey Tohru . . . h-how're you so sure the baby's a boy?"

"I'm not sure . . . . I just have a feeling . . . . A 'motherly' instinct, I guess."

By time Hatori dropped them off, Yuki was already outside Shigure's house, waiting.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"It went really well!" she replied. "I think things will work out just fine."

"Well, I'm glad," said Yuki, giving Tohru his sweetest smile. Kyou rolled his eyes and looked away. No, he wasn't jealous. He didn't have much of a grudge with the guy either. He just hated how he could still pull off making Tohru blush with delight anytime he lifted the corners of his lips.

"And Kyou was wonderful in the evaluation," commented Tohru suddenly, catching Kyou off guard. "He handled it very well."

Kyou blushed at the complement.

Shigure came outside to meet up with everyone else.

"Tohru," he began. "I think I found you a class."

"Oh really?" asked Tohru. "Where is it?"

"It's not far from here, actually. It's across the street from the city park."

"Oh, I see. So . . . do I uh . . ."

"You just go on ahead in and sign up for about a month. Then you're all set. I've already paid the expenses over the phone."

"Shigure! You didn't have to-"

"It's no trouble at all. Just be sure that you don't skip any classes."

"Okay!"

Tohru wondered . . . What would the classes make her do?

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Kyou had to go and help out his master for the day, so Yuki agreed to go with Tohru for her first day at the birthing lessons. Whether they'd let him in with her or keep him outside like a dog was a different matter entirely. They'd just have to wait and see.

Tohru arrived at the front counter of the center. A lady in large, cat-eyed glasses wrote furiously on her notepad. Yuki cleared his throat, making the lady look up.

"Oh hello," she said pleasantly. "Please sign into the sheet on the counter and find your class."

"Um . . . but I-I'm new here," said Tohru.

"Oh! You're new? Okay . . . name please?"

"Tohru Honda."

The woman searched on her computer and found her name.

"Ah! Ms. Tohru Honda. Right on time. You will begin in room four today. Here's your pamphlet. Have a nice day."

"Excuse me, but um . . . c-could Yuki come along. It's my first time so . . ."

"Oh, of course, dear."

Tohru walked through the double doors of the clinic while Yuki followed closely. Tohru took a look at the pamphlet's slogan.

"It'll be worth it, once you birth it!"

"_That sounds HIGHLY ironic_ . . ." thought Yuki, almost wincing at the perfectly rhymed words. As Tohru read the inside of the informal paper, her face turned slightly pale.

"We're going to be honest with you. Birth is pain. And for you mothers-to-be, it will be tearing, unending, enduring hell. But it IS manageable. Here at Yuma's Pregnancy Clinic, we can provide the classes you need to prepare you for the road ahead. It's a hard road to take, but with our help, your journey should be an endurable one. Many women, many of them being first time mothers, have come to thank us for our relaxation and breathing techniques. Now all of them have bright, healthy babies. And now, you can too! Remember, birth is not an illness. It's a miracle!"

"_At least they're honest,_" Yuki thought to himself, after reading the note. "_Still, I'm afraid that Ms. Honda isn't taking it too well . . ."_

Tohru put the pamphlet in her pocket and sighed. She had finally come back down to Earth after all this time. She was going to have a baby. She was going to go through the most painful thing known to mankind; or, at least that's what she heard. How was she going to get through this? First of all, she'd have to do exactly what she was told today if she wanted the experience to be less strenuous.

She and Yuki entered room four. Other pregnant women were sitting on the floor, Indian style. The teacher had stopped speaking and looked to the door.

"Oh! We have a new student! Nice to meet you. My name is Rika Yagouya. And you are?"

"Tohru Honda," said Tohru, shaking hands with Rika.

"My dear, you're trembling."

"I-I am? Oh, sorry. It's my first day."

"No need to be frightened, hun. In here, we are all friends. Right girls?"

The other women nodded and smiled.

"Do you have any pants to change into?" asked Rika.

"Oh, ah . . . no," answered Tohru. "Not at the moment."

"Then you can borrow a pair from the clinic. There's no us in stretching in a skirt, now is there?"

Rika handed Tohru a pair of sweatpants. She went into the dressing room while Yuki offered to hold her skirt for her.

"And who might you be young man?" Rika asked, in a haughty huff.

"Oh uh . . . I'm Yuki Sohma," Yuki replied.

"Are you the father of the baby?"

"Oh! No, heavens no . . . I-I'm Tohru's friend."

"I see. So I assume that you'll be watching us today?"

"Well, I don't think that I'll uh-"

"Hands. To. Yourself. Mr. Sohma."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

Rika took her narrowed eyes off of Yuki and went to the front of the class.

"Ladies, do you know why we females consider ourselves to be more dominant? Because, we are the ones who bring life! And do not be understated by men, for they do not TRULY understand what a woman is truly capable of. They do not have the will to understand."

Tohru looked anxiously at Yuki as Rika continued to disapprove of the male race. Not that Yuki was very "masculine-driven", but he still had his dignity as a boy. And by the looks of it, it was getting to him.

Yuki looked somewhat mortified and mostly pissed off. He had nothing against women who pushed the term "feminist" to the extreme, but it did get on his nerves when they dared to mock him in front of others, just because he was a male himself. It was embarrassing because, most people who knew him could barely call him a true male, since he was so feminine. The whole thing made him feel inferior and unneeded.

"And I am here to show you why," continued Rika. "Mr. Sohma, please ask me what birth feels like."

"Excuse me?" asked Yuki.

"Ask me what birth feels like."

In all honest truth, Yuki didn't want to know. But he figured he better humor her. He didn't want to get on anyone's bad side.

" . . . . . What does birth feel like?"

"Like a belt is squeezing your stomach until it's ten times smaller than its original size. That, and a knife slicing your insiders."

Yuki shivered, regretting that he ever asked. He didn't dare look over at Tohru. His discomfort would increase tenfold if he imagined her on the birthing bed.

"But to help YOU understand that better, in a boy's case," started Rika, "it would be like a large hand being shoved up your manhood."

Yuki gasped and grew pale. In response, he shifted his legs in a way that hid what was beneath. His heart pounded strongly at the thought. He lowered his shoulders and shook slightly.

"Please," pleaded Tohru, "don't say anymore to him! He doesn't mean any harm!"

"Oh he'll be fine," laughed Rika. "I was only messing with him."

She mocked him in a fake manly-voice.

"Suck it in, Mr. Sohma. Be a man!"

The other ladies laughed while Yuki's face turned several shades of red from humiliation. Tohru sighed, wishing already that her class was over, for his sake.

The class continued with a series of stretches and herbal remedies. Tohru was handed a CD of calming sounds of forests and waterfalls, lovely scented candles, and lotions to help with stretch marks. The class ended within an hour, and Yuki was thankful. The sooner he got out of this estrogen-fest, the better.

"Come again, handsome," teased Rika, as Yuki headed out the door. "Next lesson, we talk about the 'Big Blast'!"

Yuki cringed and walked away faster, with Tohru waddling behind him. They went out into the cold January air. He rather be out there in the wind than to be back inside, even if it was warmer.

"Yuki . . ." started Tohru, "I'm . . . I'm so sorry, I . . . didn't realize that . . . that they would . . ."

"It's . . . It's alright, Ms. Honda," said Yuki. "You didn't know."

"You don't have to come with me anymore if you don't want to."

"Ms. Honda, if you . . . if you want me to come with you, then I will . . ."

"But I don't if they're going to treat you like this. It's alright, really . . . I can go by myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh-huh!"

Yuki smiled with relief. Tohru shivered a little as it started to snow. Yuki took off his coat and put it on Tohru's shoulders. He'd be warm enough with his sweater and turtleneck. Tohru looked worried for a moment.

"Yuki? Will . . . will you still be there, you know . . . when I . . ."

"I promised I would, didn't I?"

Tohru smiled softly and watched the snow fall slowly in the distance.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Oo! Oo! Tohru! Can I listen to your baby bump?" asked the ever enthusiastic Momiji. Tohru nodded. She stood up straight, showing her bump with ease. Since Momiji had gotten much taller over the past year, it was harder to put his ear on her stomach; he was taller than her now, too.

Momiji go down on one knee and leaned in.

"I hear it! I hear it!" he cried, happily. "The baby sure is kicking a lot . . . . Hello in there! My name's Momiji! I hope you can hear me. Don't make it too painful for Tohru when you come out, okay? You have no idea how good she's been to us."

Tohru's eyes watered up with appreciation as Momiji smiled back at her.

"I wonder if the baby will like me," wondered Momiji.

"I just know it will," said Tohru. "There's no doubt about that."

"Oh, I hope so! I really do! If so, then can I be like his, or her, big brother? When the baby's here, can I come over and help out?"

"Of course!"

"YAAAAAAAYYYY!!!"

"Momiji, what's up with your voice?" asked Kyou.

"Huh?" asked Momiji innocently.

"He must be going through puberty," smiled Tohru. "Your voice is getting deeper, Momiji."

"Oh . . . I-I guess it is!" Momiji replied.

"Alright, alright you three," Shigure chuckled. "It's time to go to bed. It's ten-thirty at night. Momiji, I'll call Hatori and have him pick you up."

Momiji nodded and he and Tohru waited out on the porch for Hatori together. Kyou sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Shigure read his expression.

"Nervous?" he asked.

Kyou nodded and looked at his feet. Shigure chuckled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Babies make me nervous too. They always have . . ."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

**A//N: That's it for now folks. Hope you liked it. I made it nice and long this time for you guys to make up for all the time I couldn't update. Next, I'll be updating The Ripple Affects and Happiness Is. Look out for those stories, kay? Thanks for reading, and please review! - Dragondustbubblez**


	16. Given What She's Got

**Last chapter!!! Woot!! Enjoy. ^^**

Chapter 16 – Given What's She's Got

March first came just around the corner, and Tohru was as heavy as ever. Yuki and Kyou insisted on getting her a wheel chair, but she managed to convince them that she could still walk as usual. Shigure also insisted on putting newspaper on the floors of the house, just to catch the water that might break at any moment. Still, Tohru told them that she felt completely fine. But she still had to be escorted everywhere.

Today, she had to go in for her last check-up with Hatori. Both Yuki and Kyou went with her. Hatori called them in and began the exam.

"Any evident back pain?" he asked.

"Not really," Tohru replied calmly.

"Any discomfort when urinating?"

"Not that I know of."

"Any discharge or bleeding?"

"Not really. A little discharge, but no bleeding."

"Okay . . . Yuki, Kyou, keep a sharp eye on her. Her baby may arrive sooner than you think. I think she's about ready to deliver. Tohru, if the contractions start and the water breaks, let them know immediately. Here's my number. Give me a call when she's ready. I'll bring the car around and pick you all up."

Yuki and Kyou nodded. They excited the office and walked outside.

"Ohhhh, I'm so nervous!" Tohru cooed. "What if I mess up?"

"How can you mess up?" Kyou asked. "The baby's gonna come, whether you do something or not. All you gotta do is push."

"But it's not that simple, Kyou," Yuki added. "There could be complications."

"Hey, don't jinx it rat boy."

"C-Complications?" Tohru stuttered.

"Don't worry about it Ms. Honda," smiled Yuki. "You'll do great."

Tohru sighed deeply and continued to walk between the two boys. She hoped that she'd do well. It would be a shame to have the baby go through a difficult birth.

They reached home within a couple minutes. Kyou went inside to go watch TV, while Yuki stayed on the porch. Tohru stayed with him, not wanting him to be lonely.

"Yuki?" she asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright," he said calmly. "Just thinking, I guess."

"What's on your mind?"

" . . . Well, e-everything's going to change, isn't it?"

"Most definitely! But not all change is bad, right?"

"I suppose."

" . . . Is something else bothering you?"

"Sort of. Remember when Kyou and I had our fight? Well, it's just that . . . w-what he said made me wonder what you think of me."

"What do you mean?"

" . . . You know I'd never take you from Kyou, right?"

"R-Right . . ."

"Did . . . Did he say anything about me having affections for you?"

"No, why would he?"

Yuki sighed with relief. Thank goodness that rumor was never spread. Tohru looked at him curiously and lowered her eyes in embarrassment.

"You . . . You have a-affections for me?"

"I do admire you, but n-not in that way. Truth is, I-I used to like you that way, but time changed my intentions. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea. I didn't think I'd be telling you this but . . . but you're like a . . . a . . ."

"Yes?"

" . . . A mother . . . t-to me."

Tohru looked curiously at Yuki for a moment, but then smiled at him. Yuki turned away, feeling foolish for finally saying it. He spoke again to cover up what he said.

"It's not because you're now a mother but, because y-you've always been so kind to me. And I want to show my appreciation by helping you with this birth. I can't do much, but . . . I'm sure I can do something."

Tohru smiled sweetly at him and took his hand.

"You've been nothing but helpful to me," she said. "What more could I ask for?"

Yuki smiled back and sighed. After a little while, he broke the silence.

"Well, you better get back inside. I'm pretty sure Kyou wants to talk to you."

"I'll talk to you later then. Sleep well!"

Yuki chuckled and waved goodbye. He rested his arms on the railing of the porch and took in the late morning air. He took just enough before he had to go back inside. It felt good to be free of his secret.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The room was quiet, since Shigure and Yuki had already gone to bed. Kyou had his arm closely around Tohru's shoulder. She sitting beside him, snuggled onto his chest. Her right hand was stroking her baby bump and her left was in Kyou's hand. She felt him sigh as his chest deflated a bit. His heart beat was quick.

"Kyou? Are you scared?" she asked. She got an answer she didn't expect.

" . . . I'm terrified," Kyou replied.

"Something good will happen, you'll see. Something wonderful . . ."

"But what?"

" . . . I don't know, but I have a feeling this baby will bring us all closer together. Akito might even be more willing to, you know, be around us. She's still a bit wounded from letting the curse go, but she's healing. Maybe if the baby's around, she'll be more willing to be involved with us. Same goes for all the others."

Kyou shrugged. He could care less about his family. It wasn't that they weren't important to him. It was the fact that, right now, they weren't his top priority. Tohru was the only objects of his affection, and he'd be willing to do anything to help her along. In this world of his, only he and her existed. No one else.

Kyou tenderly kissed her forehead and rested his warm cheek where he had planted his lips. Tohru blushed in response. Even after these nine difficult months, Kyou never failed to fill her up with strong impulses and urges. It was only till now that her desire had calmed down.

Kyou, however, couldn't say the same thing. He couldn't wait until the baby was gone and out of their lives. He knew Tohru would be sad, but with time, she'd be thankful that they'd get more time to do things right. It wasn't that he didn't want kids. He didn't want them now, when he and Tohru were just beginning to become more comfortable together.

But it wouldn't matter. The baby would only be around for a little while, and a nice family would take it in as their own.

" . . . I want to kiss you," Tohru mentioned suddenly. Kyou welcomed the idea with open arms.

"Can you reach?" he asked, motioning to her bump.

Tohru used her left arm to prop herself up and reached for Kyou's lips. Even though they were a bit chapped from the spring wind, they were as warm as ever, and it had her begging for more. She closed her eyes as she took every kiss in. Kyou gently ran a hand through her hair while keeping the other on her shoulder.

Tohru let her right hand wander to his chest, and caressed around where his heartbeat was. She stopped the kiss to catch her breath and Kyou brought his hand from her hair to her face, lightly touching every feature. He kissed her small, petite nose, and the top of her soft eyelids.

As if she were in a trance, Tohru found herself falling asleep against the couch and onto Kyou's shoulder. Kyou smiled softly and rested the side of his head on top of her's. Within moments, the silence and comfort of the night spring breeze blowing from outside, Kyou found his eyes closing as well.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The sun broke through the window and the light set on Tohru's face. She moved around a bit and opened her glassy eyes. She looked up to find that Kyou had left. He had probably gone out for his run.

Yuki came downstairs in fresh clothing, looking awake for once. He saw Tohru and chuckled.

"Fell asleep on the couch?" he asked.

"I guess so," Tohru said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Where's Kyou?"

"I think he's out for his morning run. He left about an hour ago so he should be back soon."

Tohru smiled sleepily as Yuki took a seat by her. He sighed.

"I don't know about you but, the wait for your contractions to start is killing me."

Tohru didn't laugh. Thinking that he had offended her, Yuki apologized. Tohru didn't say anything and looked down at herself in surprise.

"Tohru?" Yuki asked. "Tohru? Are you mad? I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to . . ."

Yuki cut his words short as he felt something warm trickle underneath his bare foot. He looked down to find that the carpet beneath him was wet and sticky.

Tohru slowly felt the underside of her dress, finding that it was soaked. It had dripped off the couch and onto the ground.

"Y-Yuki . . ." she said, her voice getting shaky.

" . . . Stay here, I'll get Shigure."

Yuki went off in a hurry and rushed to Shigure's office. He burst through the door, leaving Shigure with a confused expression. After catching his breath, he spoke.

"Tohru's in labor."

Shigure dropped what he was doing and headed for the phone, while Yuki went outside to find Kyou. He ran around frantically, trying to find the cat. Kyou came around, barely breaking a sweat.

"What's up with you?" he asked Yuki.

"Tohru's in labor!"

"IT'S TIME?! AH HELL!!"

Both boys ran inside and went to Tohru. She had her hands on her baby bump, and her breathing became quickened. She squeezed her eyes shut as the pain became constant. She moaned slightly and looked for the two boys for guidance. Kyou held her right hand, while Yuki held her left. Shigure finished calling Hatori, and brought in a cool, wet towel. He put it on Tohru's forehead.

"Hatori's on his way, so hang in there," he said seriously.

Tohru hissed and lay her back against couch, squeezing the boys' hands tighter. Kyou rubbed her shoulder and gently said words of encouragement. After what seemed a lifetime, Hatori arrived and honked the horn of his car.

"You guys go ahead," said Shigure. "I'll have Hatori come back for me."

"Okay Tohru, you're gonna hafta stand up," Kyou said, trying to remain calm. "I'll help you."

Tohru kept her hands on his shoulder, using it for support. As soon as she stood up, both Yuki and Kyou took to a side of her and helped her outside. As quick as the contractions would allow, they brought her to the car. Tohru gripped the edge of the car for support. Her legs shook under the heavy weight of pregnancy. She slowly descended into the car's interior, and scooted towards the middle seat Kyou went in after her, and Yuki went to the other side. As soon as they were all in, Hatori zoomed the car out of sight.

Tohru's breathing grew rapid as she lay her head back against the head rest. Yuki and Kyou held her hands again, trying to reassure Tohru that they were here with her. Tohru squeezed tighter and moaned louder. Tears welled up in her closed eyes automatically. She wished that it would all be over once she opened them.

"Hatori, push it!" yelled Kyou, starting to get nervous.

"Keep holding my hand, Ms. Honda," said Yuki, trying to soothe Tohru. "We're almost there, we're almost there . . . shh, it's okay."

Tohru gritted her teeth and let out a hesitant moan. Her tears overflowed onto her face and dripped off her chin. Hatori's brow was beaded with sweat as he pushed the speed limit.

Soon enough, the hospital came into view. Hatori took out his cell phone and threw it to Yuki.

"Call the hospital," he commanded.

Yuki dialed the number for the urgency center and asked to receptionist to send out a ready wheelchair from the emergency room. As soon as Hatori parked his car, he carefully helped Tohru out of the car. She limped slowly, wishing immediately for a chair. A few nurses in blue medical suits came rushing out with a wheelchair. They helped Tohru onto the contraption and wheeled her off with Yuki and Kyou following closely behind. Hatori stayed behind and used his cell phone to call the other family members who wanted to be at the event. Then he drove off quickly and went to pick up Momiji, Kisa, and Hiro. Uo and Hana were alerted, and they headed over at once.

Tohru was given a hospital slip to put on and was taken into a light room with a comfortable looking bed. Before the doctors let her off the carrier, they took out a large needle.

"Alright, sweety," said one doctor. "We're going to give you a painkiller for your back, okay? It should help for awhile."

Tohru nodded and let them insert the shot. After a moment, she seemed calmer, even though she was still in evident pain. She carefully worked her way over to the new bedding. Yuki pulled up a chair and sat next to Tohru. Kyou did the same. Tohru laid her head on the comfortable pillows and sighed wearily.

"I guess all we do now is wait again," Yuki said.

"But I thought that once she was in labor, she'd start . . . you know . . ." Kyou said.

"Not all the time. Some people stay in labor for awhile until the baby actually comes out."

"Where's Hatori?" Tohru asked in a raspy voice.

"I'm not sure . . . He's probably contacting your friends. I know that Momiji wanted to see you, so he might be picking him up as well."

Tohru smiled softly. She'd feel a little better with more company. But that still didn't change how frightened she was. Kyou seemed to read her mind.

" . . . You scared?" he asked, cautiously.

"Y-Yes," Tohru replied, flushing with shame.

" . . . It's okay . . . you know . . . to be scared."

A bead of sweat fell from Tohru's forehead and drizzled down her face. Kyou wiped it off with his thumb.

It's a bit stuffy in here," said Yuki. "I'll open a window."

Yuki went to the window next to Tohru's bed. He slid open the glass pane, letting the cool spring air into the room. Tohru sighed gently and began to relax a little bit more as the medicine took it's affect. The scent of the blossom trees coming from outside the window calmed her nerves. One of the branches stuck out and came in the room, hanging above Tohru's head. Kyou took a flower blossom off the branch and observed it. He brushed Tohru's hair aside and placed it behind her ear. Both he and Yuki blushed a moment. The blossom fit her perfectly and made her so strangely beautiful, even in the latest stage of her pregnancy.

Yuki took the bed covers and laid them over Tohru. He tucked her in comfortably and put more pillows behind her head. Tohru yawned and sunk into her pillows, feeling too tired to thank the two boys.

"Are you hurting anywhere?" asked Kyou. "Anywhere other than . . . the . . . the obvious." He blushed as he said this, knowing that he meant well, but still sounding like a pervert.

"Well . . ." started Tohru, hesitantly. "My leg's a little sore."

"Which one?"

She pointed. Kyou took off the covers, and started massaging her hurt leg. Tohru blushed and laid her head back with a sigh, not being able to shake off the good feeling of her leg being rubbed by strong hands. Kyou was surprisingly gently for being so rough.

"Um . . ." Kyou started, "m-my master used to do this for me when I got growing pains. It really helped so . . ."

Tohru had shut her eyes, forgetting all that Kyou had said. All that matter to her was that they were there, and she had nothing to worry about. For a moment, all she wanted to do was pretend she was at home in her bed, minus the large baby bump that pulsed an occasional pain.

Kyou stopped. Tohru was fast asleep, with the flower still in her hair.

A doctor came in to check on her. He lowered his voice when he saw that she was sleeping.

"How's she doing?" he asked.

"She's doing just fine," said Yuki, smiling.

"I came to tell you guys that when the birth starts, you need to push this button."

He pointed to the wall next to Tohru. It had a big red button.

"This will signal the doctors and nurses over to your aid. For now, just sit and relax. If you get thirsty, we have hot chocolate in the hallway."

"Okay, thank you," said Yuki. "We'll get some later."

Kyou made a gagging noise once the doctor was gone.

"Hot chocolate?" he groaned. "You like that cruddy stuff?"

Yuki shrugged and looked elsewhere.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Within an hour, Tohru had woken up. She sat up a little, but with much discomfort. The medicine seemed to be wearing off. She smiled when she looked to both sides of her. Both Yuki and Kyou had fallen asleep in their seats. Kyou slouched in his chair with his arms crossed and his head hung forward. Yuki rested his head on his arms on the side of the bed. Both of them were breathing loudly and snoring a bit. The poor boys must have been so bored that they drifted off to sleep.

There was a knock at the door that jerked Kyou and Yuki awake.

"Come in!" called Tohru.

Hatori came in, along with Momiji, Hiro, Kisa, Uo, and Hana. Shigure came in last, holding a camera.

"Tohru!" cheered Momiji, running to her side. "Tohru! Are you okay? Hari said that you were in a lot of pain."  
"I'm okay now," smiled Tohru. "They gave me medicine for it and it's been helping a lot."

"Have they given you medicine for the birth yet?" asked Shigure, getting his camera ready.

"Not yet. They won't give it to me until the contractions get more serious."

Kisa and Hiro came up to Tohru as well.

"Sissy . . . a-are you going to be alright?" Kisa asked sadly.

"Don't worry Kisa, I'll be okay," reassured Tohru.

"You sure got fat, woman," said Hiro.

"Hiro!" said Momiji. "That's so mean! You apologize to Tohru!"

"Damn brat," Kyou muttered under his breath.

"Hiro," began Kisa, "she's not fat. That's her baby bump."

"I know that!" Hiro yelled. He turned around and blushed at Kisa's responding giggle.

"When's the baby coming?" asked Shigure, sitting in a nearby chair.

"We don't know," said Yuki. "Could be hours, could be minutes. At least, that's what the doctor said."

"Where are we going to go during the birth?" asked Momiji.

"You'll take Hiro and Kisa into the reception room and wait there while Shigure and I stay here," said Hatori. He wiped his brow with a cloth.

"Hari . . . you okay?" asked Shigure.

"Yes. I . . . I tend to get anxious when it comes to birthing. It's not in my field of expertise."

Hatori continued to wipe the sweat off his brow nervously, but he still kept his cool. Any other person and he would have been fine. But since it was Tohru, that changed how he approached a couple things in this case. Hatori calmly left the room to collect himself. After a few minutes, he re-entered the room.

"Hey Hari," started Momiji, "where'd you go?"

"Bathroom," lied Hatori. "Momiji, take Hiro and Kisa to the reception room until Tohru's done. This might take awhile, so be patient. Kyou? Yuki?"

"We're staying," said Yuki.

Hatori nodded, sat in a nearby chair and indorsed himself in a book he brought along. The three younger Sohmas left the room, leaving Shigure, Hatori, Uo, Hana, Kyou, and Yuki alone with Tohru. The time was drawing near and Tohru's abdomen was really starting to ache. The contractions were becoming more constant by the minute. After one painful hit to her private area, she began to moan again.  
"Owww," she cried. She closed her eyes in discomfort and gripped her sheets. Kyou rubbed her shoulder softly. Tohru's crying got louder and louder, and it wasn't stopping.

"Hit the button," said Hatori.

Yuki pushed the red button, sounding off a small alarm. Doctors immediately poured in, along with the nurses.

They immediately hooked her up to a heart meter, which beeped quickly as it kept up with her heart beat. A nurse came around with another needle.

"You have two choices. You can either go with a painkiller or birth naturally. Some people prefer not to have to painkiller, due to the baby's well-being, but the choice is yours."

"The . . . The medicine will hurt the baby?" Tohru asked, out of breath.

"We don't know for sure," said Yuki. "But . . ."

"Just give it to her!" Kyou yelled.

"K-Kyou . . . I . . ." protested Tohru. But before she could finish her sentence, the needle was projected into her. The mechanical bed she lay in was propped up into a proper position. This was it.

Shigure got his camera ready and Hatori came in with rubber gloves on and a mask. Being the doctor he was, he was allowed to help.

Tohru's hands shook, making it hard for her to hold onto the hands of the two teenage boys. Her eyes began to water furiously as she whimpered in fear.

"I'm . . . I'm so scared . . ." sobbed Tohru, not being able to breathe very well.

"I know, I know," said Yuki, placing a cold, wet towel on her forehead.

"It'll be okay," sighed Kyou, caressing the side of her face with his palm. Tohru sobbed more and more as the pain progressed.

"Did you bring her stuff from the pregnancy center?" asked Uo.

Both Yuki and Kyou cursed. They had left the relaxation kit at home. Shigure sighed and shrugged.

"Well, looks like you're going to have to comfort her yourselves. I hold you guys responsible for that."

Both boys nodded and continued to tend to Tohru. The doctors put on their gear and went over to Tohru. One faced Hatori.

"Mr. Sohma, I'll need you to sit here and prepare to catch."

Uo and Hana came beside the two boys and stood by Tohru.

"The contractions are heavy," said Hatori. "The baby should arrive any minute now."

And with that being said, Tohru began to panic. Uo and Hana stepped in.

"Hey, hey, shh," Uo said softly. "It's alright, it'll be okay. You gotta push for the doctor, okay? You can do it."

"Okay, when I say push, you push," said a doctor. Tohru gasped heavily, trying to remember her breathing technique.

"Push."

Tohru gave the first push and felt the surge of pain shoot her like dynamite. She yelled in pain loudly, squeezing Kyou and Yuki's hands extremely tight.

" . . . I don't see anything yet," said Hatori. "We need another good push."

Tohru shook her head in agony. She wanted to rest. She wanted it to be over.

"Push."

Tohru yelled as she pushed harder the second time. The pain was even worse. She continued to scream when the pain wouldn't go away.

" . . . Still don't see anything," said Hatori. " . . . No, wait. I-I think that's the head."

"She's not giving enough vigor," said one doctor. "We'll have to push for her."

Hatori went beside Tohru and placed his hands firmly over her baby bump. He hated to do this to her, but it had to be done. The sooner this was over, the better. The horrified faces of Kyou and Yuki were proof of that.

"No, no, no," cried Tohru. "Please, no, don't, NO!!!"

Hatori pushed hard. Yuki and Kyou winced.

Tohru screamed violently, the tears falling quickly down her face. Yuki wiped the sweat of her brow while she continued to sob.

"Anything yet?" asked Hatori.

"That did it," replied the doctor. "The head's out."

Hatori went back around and helped pull the baby out. Tohru tried her best to push, but she was getting extremely exhausted. Her pain was getting any different either.

After thirty minutes, the baby was half-way out. Tohru was ready to give up completely. It was all too much for her to bear.

"Tohru, this is it," said Uo. "You need to give it one big push."

"I . . . I can't . . ." wheezed Tohru. "I can't . . . I . . ."

"Come on! Push!" yelled Kyou, not being able to take it much longer. "Just end it now!"

"But . . . I . . ."

"Tohru, you can do it. You're not gonna give up on me now, ya hear me?! You've helped before, now I'm gonna help you."

Kyou placed one hand on Tohru's bump, while keeping the other in Tohru's hand. Yuki did the same.

"Now come on, Ms. Honda!" Yuki joined in. "Push! You can do it!"

"PUSH!" cried Kyou. Tohru closed her eyes and listened to them urge her on. She gripped their hands tightly and gave it her all, with Kyou and Yuki pushing her stomach.

All noise went away for a moment and time seemed to stand still; all until a cry broke the silence. A baby had opened its mouth for the first time. Almost in slow motion, Tohru gazed at the baby in Hatori's arms. She fell back on her pillow, letting go of the hands of the two boys. She breathed out a breath of relief as tears filled her eyes once more. Time went back on track.

Hatori took the squealing baby and cut off the umbilical cord. He cleaned it off and looked it in the face. Hatori couldn't help but to smile. The baby looked just like his father. He turned to Tohru.

"It's a boy," Hatori said softly. Tohru, still exhausted, took the baby without a reaction. Kyou shivered at her silence. The baby attempted to open his eyes and looked up at Tohru. His eyes were shaped like Kyou's; blazing with alertness, but somewhat calm. They were the same color as her eyes. His hair was much like her's, brown and soft. Tohru's mouth curled into a smile. She brought the baby to her chest and caressed his forehead with her cheek. A tear rolled down her face, but her smile remained.

Uo and Hana smiled, trying not to cry themselves.

"Good job, kiddo," whispered Uo, resting a hand on Tohru's head. Tohru looked over at Yuki, who had gotten teary eyed as well. He wiped his eyes and smiled at her. He planted a short, soft kiss on her forehead and wiped her tears away. He didn't say much else. He didn't know how.

Kyou, feeling left out, turned his back to them. He looked towards the baby in the bundle of cloth and felt his heart tear in half. There was no way in hiding his fear. The baby caught his eye and held out his arms.

"Hey Kyou," said Uo, "I think he wants you."

Kyou walked over to the baby, looking weak and vulnerable. His arms shook as he tried to pick up the baby. He failed at the attempt, but before he set the baby back down on Tohru's lap, she caught his arms with her hands. She looked at him in the eyes and smiled at him, silently reassuring him that everything was okay. She knew he was scared. She knew he was feeling guilty and heartbroken. And she'd show him it didn't matter anymore.

Kyou tried again and picked up the boy. The infant looked Kyou in the eyes, and then closed them. He then, surprisingly, reached for Kyou's shirt and pulled. Kyou, seeming to get the message, brought him closer, and pushed him against his chest. The baby curled up and kept his little hand on Kyou, cooing with content.

The hand . . . That small, tiny hand . . . How could it have been so warm?

Kyou's eyes watered as he gave a real grin. A couple tears fell from his eyes as he smiled even wider. True, he was actually crying in front of everyone; he didn't care. All he wanted to know was why he felt this way.

"Let's give Tohru and Kyou some time alone," said Hana. Uo nodded and went out of the room, along with Hatori, Shigure, and Yuki, leaving the couple and their newborn with time to bond . . .

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Tohru had been holding the baby for the longest time it seemed, but she didn't seem the least bit tired of it. Every breath and every motion the baby made was a marvel to her. And Kyou, who sat beside her, watched in awe as well.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," said Tohru, her voice still raspy from the screaming. Kyou noticed how humorously pained it sounded.

"Don't talk too much, kay?" he said, tenderly. "I'll talk for ya."

"I can talk," reassured Tohru, smiling weakly. "My throat doesn't hurt."

"Okay . . . but don't overdo it."

Everyone else came in to see. Momiji squeezed his way in first and rushed over. He smiled at the baby.

"Aww! He's so cute!! He looks so much like Kyou! Almost like a twin!"

Hana and Uo came around the corner to see as well. Yuki followed to do the same.

"He has the color of your eyes, Ms. Honda," Yuki said gently. "And the same hair."

"Yet," began Hana, "he has the same face and eye shape as Kyou. Probably even the same smirk."

Shigure came around with his camera.

"Can I get one more picture of the baby?"

"Sure!" smiled Tohru. "Kyou, get in the picture."

" . . . Ya sure about that?" asked Kyou, shyly.

"Of course! You're the daddy. The picture isn't complete without you."

Kyou tried to hide his smile as she sat by Tohru and the baby. Shigure snapped the picture with a flash. The flash startled the baby and he started to cry. Hatori took Shigure by the ear and dragged him out of the room.

"You cause mischief wherever you are, don't you?" sighed Hatori.

Tohru gently shushed the infant into calming down.

"Ms. Honda?" asked Yuki. "Can I hold him?"

Tohru nodded happily and gave the boy to him. Yuki held the baby softly in his arms and looked him in the face. He really did look like a complete mixture of Tohru and Kyou. And for some reason, looking at the replica of Kyou didn't anger him. It only made him . . . confused.

Kisa and Hiro came into the room together. Hiro stopped in his tracks with a case of de-ja-vou. There, in front of him, was a motherly figure with a baby, a mother he'd never thought he'd see. It was like his own mother, in a sense.

"Con-" tried Hiro. " . . . Congrats."

"Thank you, Hiro!" smiled Tohru "I'm so glad to hear that from you." Hiro blushed and looked away. He only did it because she reminded him of something that made him feel . . . well . . . older.

Yuki gave the baby back to Tohru and sat by her in a stool nearby. Kisa came up and felt the baby's hands.

"He's so soft!" exclaimed Kisa. The baby saw Kisa's finger and attempted to grasp it. Kisa and Momiji giggled with delight. Then Momiji formed a curious question.

"Hey Kyou, Tohru . . . what are you going to name him?"

Tohru and Kyou exchanged blank looks. That was the one thing they had forgotten this whole time.

"He should be called Kyou-Kyou Jr.!" teased Momiji.

Kyou flushed.

"That's a stupid name! We should name him something manly . . . like Sensou!"

"How crude," sighed Yuki. "Maybe something more gentle sounding . . . like Riiko or Yin."

"Nah, not my type."

"How about . . . Mioki," said Hana.

"I like that," replied Uo, "except that it sounds too much like a girl's name."

"Hey!" called out Kyou. "Let Tohru decide."

Everyone agreed and waited for her to answer. Tohru thought for a minute.

"Well," she started, "I've . . . always wanted to name a baby after someone who meant a lot to me. A name that my mom would have liked . . . and since the baby's not a girl, I can't name him Kyoko, so . . ."

Tohru thought hard, deep inside, thinking of someone who meant a lot to her. Some one who brought her here. Someone who treated her with kindness. Someone her mother loved very dearly. Someone who taught her to love. The man she talked about and never knew . . .

Then it hit her. The name was clear in her head, and it fit.

"I know your name," she said to the baby. "I know it well . . ."

"What is it?" Kyou asked curiously. Tohru smiled as the name escaped her lips.

"Katsuya."

Uo and Hana exchanged looks and smiled. The name did fit. Tohru's grandfather would be proud, but unfortunately, he might be sad as well . . .

"What was the name from?" Kyou asked. Tohru paused and answered.

"He was my father."

" . . . . . Your . . . Your father . . . . H-He has a cool name."

"Huh?"

"It's a cool name . . . I-I like it."

"I like that name too," smiled Momiji. Yuki nodded in agreement. Hiro shrugged and Kisa giggled. Kyou didn't like showing much enthusiasm when he liked something, but truthfully, the name really stuck with him. Tohru knew a good name when she thought of one.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Hatori came back into the room with Shigure. He had recently called the foster parents and told them that the baby was born. But there was a problem.

"I've heard that you've given your infant a name," he claimed.

Tohru nodded happily.

"Yes! His name is Katsuya! I named him after my father."

"As wonderful as that sounds, you probably shouldn't have named him yet. The foster parents may have wanted a different name."

Tohru's gleeful face turned sour.

"Oh yes . . . I've forgotten again . . ."

"But Katsuya's a good name!" Uo chimed in. "They should just accpet it."

"If only it were that simple," Hatori sighed. "But that being put aside, I gave them a call and told them the baby was born today."

"Well, what happened?" Kyou asked.

" . . . They didn't answer. I left a message on their answering service, but if they don't answer back while Tohru's still resting in the hospital, then you'll have to take him home until further notice.

"But," started Yuki, "won't that be . . . well, isn't Katsuya going to be attached to Tohru and Kyou by then?"

Hatori rubbed his temple with frustration.

"I don't know . . . But that's what happened. There's nothing I can do. I've already tried driving by their house. Their car is gone and the lights are off. I readily assumed they were out."

"Well that's their fault!" yelled Kyou. "They had more than enough time to prepare! They can't do this!"

"Kyou, it's only for a little while," Tohru stated. "It may be quicker than we think. Maybe they just went on an errand. Was their cell phone off?"

"Yes, I tried that too," Hatori said. "They're completely cut off."

Kyou sat down on the side of the bed and hid his face in his hands. His speech mumbled through his hands.

"I don't know if I can handle this . . ."

"You're going to have to," sighed Yuki, "if you want the baby to go to another family."

" . . . I'm so lost," Momiji said sadly. "Tohru's not keeping the baby? I thought . . ."

"We can't," said Tohru, sadly. "He needs . . . he needs to be with a loving family that can take care of him. I don't even have enough money to care for myself yet, and I can't ask the Sohmas for money I can't pay back; not after all they've done for me."

"But . . . But I could help you take care of him. I'll stop by Shigure's every day and help and Kyou out!"

"I much rather you focus on your studies, Momiji. You need them now more than ever. Dealing with a baby will only slow you down."

Momiji frowned and said no more, leaving towards the reception room.

"M-Momiji, I'm so sorry. I-I really should have told you, but . . ."

Before Tohru could finish, Momiji had closed the door behind him.

" . . . I didn't know for sure that I was . . . giving him away . . ."

"I'll go get him," Hiro claimed, rolling his eyes. Kisa followed after him, hoping that he wouldn't upset Momiji any farther. Silence filled the room. Kyou couldn't take it any longer.

"So . . . as long as the foster people call on time, then Katsuya can go?"

"Yes," Hatori replied.

"How long do we wait?" asked Uo.

"Tohru is going to stay here for about a week or so. Then she can go home and rest before going back to work."

Kyou sighed and nodded. If the foster parents weren't going to call, then things were going to change. Bringing a baby home often did change a thing or two. Kyou was frightened out of his wits. First of all, he still couldn't believe he was technically a father, which took away many of his privileges. Also, he'd have to be extra nice to the baby, which he wasn't good at. Thirdly, how could he fit in if he wasn't even near being considered "father" material? He didn't have any offense against kids, but in honest truth, they were no good to him. Lastly, what if Tohru got attached to Katsuya? How would she handle giving him up when the time came? IF the time came?

Of course, he'd probably have no problem, as cruel as that sounded. A baby would only ruin everything for him. His life, his possible career, his love life . . . nothing cramped the style of lovebirds than a dirty diaper that cried and ate them out of house and home. It would be all over, and to think, it would be his own seed that caused him this grief. But as he thought more and more of it, the more selfish he felt. Tohru really wanted the baby. Even if she didn't say it, the feeling was there. He HAD to find a way to cope. It'd break her heart if he didn't . . .

"I'm sure you'd like time to talk this over," Shigure said to Kyou.

Tohru nodded. Everyone left for home, most of them too anxious to sleep. Yuki waited outside of the hospital, waiting for Kyou to finish talking with Tohru. As soon as Kyou came out, Yuki gave him a look of pity and allowed him to get into Hatori's car first. Within moments, they took the drive home, leaving Tohru to rest alone.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The days passed by, and there still wasn't a reply from the foster parents. Only one day remained until Tohru had to go back to the house.

Tohru seemed fine with it, but Kyou looked devastated.

He sat there that afternoon, slouching in his chair as he watched Tohru breast feed her baby in bed. She was new to the whole idea, but due to her motherly instincts, she was a natural at it. He tried not to look worried as he watched her.

" . . . You really want to keep him, don't you?" he asked softly.

Tohru looked up and smiled.

"I . . . I do . . . but we can't care for him. He's got to have a good life to go to. I don't have a lot to give. I'm not ready for a baby, and neither are you."

"That's true . . . But I don't think that you'd be a bad mother. You're too maternal to be a bad mom."

" . . . Thank you."

" . . . . ."

"But Kyou . . . if I have a baby with you, I want it to be when we're ready. This . . . this is too soon. The curse just ended a couple months ago and you and I got together, and now this. It's so soon. I'm sorry I'm so selfish, but I really wanted us to spend more time together before this happens again . . . if it does."

"Who knows . . . maybe it will. But you don't hafta give Katsuya because of me. I'm not ready either, but if it's what you want, then you'd be able to pull it off. You more than . . . a-anyone else. I'll get out of your way, since I'm not-"

"Kyou! It's okay, really! Please don't think so badly of yourself. We're all different when it comes to kids and family, and we may not be ready, so . . . it's okay . . . to be scared . . . just like you said. If we work together, we can get through taking care of Katsuya for a bit. And our family will aid us too, no doubt. I don't want you to be left out at all. You're too important to me for that."

"You . . . want me to help?"

"Of course I do!"

"But . . . what if I mess up? I might . . . you know . . ."

"We all mess up sometimes. But, if we help each other we can learn from our mistakes."

"Tohru, are you sure about this? I'm . . . I'm not a g-good person."

"Don't say that. You're wonderful . . . T-The most wonderful person I know."

"But . . . won't this . . . tear us apart?"

"No! I'll always love you. Nothing can change that. Too much has happened to change anything. This baby is proof of that. And I'm proud of you for making such a beautiful baby, even if it IS too soon."

" . . . H-How could you have so . . . so much FAITH in me? A-After all that I've done to cause you pain."

" . . . The past does hurt a little, but it doesn't matter anymore. One thing leads to another, remember? Maybe this will too . . ."

"I'm not the type of father you'd think I'd be."

"You're the only father I can think of."

"A bad one?"

"A father with inner kindness, loved honesty, a trustworthy face . . . a good father. A father that . . . that I love more than anything else. Maybe even more than . . .

Tohru stopped and looked up at the branch of blossoms above her head. Kyou leaned over and kissed Tohru's lips softly and smiled tenderly. Tohru smiled with relief and dozed off into a deep sleep. Kyou brushed Katsuya's hair with his finger and let him drift of to sleep as well. Kyou sat back down and laid his hand gently on Tohru's as he decided to drift of also. He closed his eyes and said a prayer in his head. He didn't know who to pray to, but he hoped that someone, anyone, would listen.

"_Please, let this work. Even if it's only for a little while. Make something good happen . . . for her . . . for me . . . f-for Katsuya. I'm scared. I feel so angry with myself. I feel confused, and far from happy. I don't know how else to express myself. I'm lost . . . Please, give me a sign that it will all be okay."_

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

_A light sudden breeze blew the blossom branch, breaking the biggest and most beautiful flower off of it's stem. It flowed gently down with the air current and slowly descended into the quiet room. As it fell, it landed ever so softly on the combined hands of Kyou and Tohru that they didn't stir in their peaceful slumber. The flower rested there and stayed there for the remainder of the evening, even as the wind began to howl and blow through the window behind them. . ._

* * *

**Guys, thanks SOO much for reading this story. I really enjoyed making it and I enjoyed your comments too. ^^ But the story doesn't end here, so expect a sequel! But for now, I'm going to focus on my other stories for a while. But keep an eye open because I MAY upload it sooner than you think. The sequel will be called A Happy Medium. So if that story name comes up in your emails (if I'm on your alert list) be sure to check it out! ^^ Thanks you guys for the encouraging comments, read on, and message me any time. =)**

**P.S.: If you want to read more of my stuff, I have plenty of other Fruits Basket stories that you can read. I would love it if you left reviews for those too. ^^ And I still want to put up the lemon for this story when I can, so if you see this story being updated in the future, it's probably the lemon. If not, then I probably decided to leave it out. Don't worry, if I don't, then I'll put in a lemon in some OTHER story. . lol**

**Once again, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story so far. Much appreciation - Dragondustbubblez**


	17. New NOTICE: please read

Hey guys! :)

**(If you got an email saying I replaced the chapter, then by all means, ignore this message.)**

Okay, so I replaced chapter 11 with the "uncensored" version, with the lemon and all its little tidbits.

I'm just putting up this little notice just in case it didn't send out the word when I updated the story. Not sure how that works so yeah.

But please mosey on over to chapter 11 if you've been dying to see the lemon, because it's there now. Thanks for reading and stay cool! :D

-dragondustbubblez

Oh, and P.S.: As usual, please comment! I love getting feedback. But be constructive on the criticism. Thanks again.


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